On Friday, Israel’s defense minister, Moshe Yaalon
told troops they should be prepared for the possibility of
a “significant broadening” of the ground operation.
It was unclear if that was more a negotiating tactic
as Israel jockeyed for better cease-fire terms
after 18 days of fierce fighting against Hamas.
Mr. Kerry flew to Paris to continue his diplomatic
push and planned to meet there with the foreign ministers
of Qatar and Turkey, two countries that have been
supportive of Hamas and are functioning as intermediaries
Mr. Kerry also expected to confer with several European diplomats.
International alarm has been growing over the war that
has claimed the lives of more than 800 Palestinians
most of them civilians, as well as 35 Israeli soldiers.
Three civilians in Israel have also been
killed in rocket and mortar fire from Gaza
killed in rocket and mortar fire from Gaza