Is the off ramp in sight, or did Binyamin Netanyahu’s government deliberately blow past it? If achieving the stated aim of killing Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar offers Israel a reason to relent in Gaza and Lebanon, that has yet to happen. The days since have been particularly lethal: air strikes near Beirut targeted Hezbollah’s financial assets just as US envoy Amos Hochstein was touching down to talk ceasefire conditions.

We ask if we are witnessing the storm before the calm, or if there is no plan to de-escalate.

With the US Secretary of State following Hochstein, Israel is mindful of growing pressure from its allies and is organising press tours for journalists to show renewed aid deliveries to Gaza. But the UN accuses Israeli authorities of continuing to obstruct delivery of critical aid. 

On that score, France’s president is suggesting Sinwar’s death “must be an opportunity to begin a new phase of negotiation”. We get the panel’s take on Emmanuel Macron’s latest pronouncements and the verbal jousting with Netanyahu that preceded it. 

Produced by Théophile Vareille, Rebecca Gnignati and Ilayda Habip.