Back to square one: US General discusses northern front with Israeli Officials amid disruption of prisoner exchange negotiations

With sirens sounding in the north and targeting several Israeli settlements from Lebanon, General Michael Kurilla, the commander of US Central Command, engaged in discussions with Israeli officials on how to handle the northern front.

This front represents the most significant concern for Washington, as its escalation could widen the scope of the war from Gaza to a regional war.

In addition to the Lebanon front, the West Bank has witnessed an unprecedented escalation, prompting warnings from US, Palestinian, and Israeli authorities about the danger of expanding clashes beyond the region.

While tension prevails in both the West Bank and Lebanon, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant threatened to intensify airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and penetrate its territory without restrictions just ahead of Kurella's arrival.

However, the Israeli army continued its operations within the Al-Shifa Hospital, preparing a report to present to the American guest, justifying Israel's refusal to Washington's demand to ease the intensity of operations, avoid civilian casualties, and provide humanitarian aid.

Between the operations in Gaza, Lebanon, and the West Bank, the issue of the prisoner exchange faces several obstacles.

The Israeli voice calling for a deal that includes all prisoners collides with the War Cabinet's rejection of Palestinian conditions. The Israeli authorities consider intensifying fire in the Gaza Strip as pressure on Hamas, expecting the movement's leader, Yahya Sinwar, to make concessions in the prisoner exchange negotiations.

However, the unexpected response came from Sinwar himself, who cut ties with Qatar and halted negotiations due to the operation against Al-Shifa Hospital and the mass killings in Gaza. This impedes the progress of the prisoner exchange deal and resets matters to square one.