News:

The temporary truce in Gaza is extended for another five days. (AP/AFP)

Cease-fire negotiations face new hurdles. (Reuters/Xinhua/Los Angeles Times)

Israeli officials blame Hamas leader Mishaal for the cease-fire
impasse. (Jerusalem Post)

The US halts the transfer of hellfire missiles to Israel. (Wall Street
Journal/Ha'aretz/YNet)

Israeli politicians argue about the state of bilateral relations with
the United States. (Jerusalem Post)

Two journalists are among the six killed in a bomb disposal accident
in Gaza. (New York Times)

57 Palestinians are arrested for "rioting" in occupied East Jerusalem. (Xinhua)

A Palestinian dies after being struck by a settler car in the occupied
West Bank. (Ma'an)

The Arab Bank terrorism financing civil lawsuit goes to the jury. (AP)

The Pentagon says the IS siege on a mountain in northern Iraq is over,
allowing thousands of Yazidis to survive, but some are reportedly
still trapped. (New York Times/Washington Post)

Many Iraqi Christians no longer feel at home given the rise of IS.
(Los Angeles Times)

Pres. Obama is considering US policy options towards IS. (AP)

The UN raises the humanitarian crisis level in Iraq to the highest
possible threat. (AP/BBC)

Asharq Al Awsat profiles Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Al-Abadi.
(Asharq Al Awsat)

The US says it will provide more weapons to the Lebanese military. (AP)

Saudi Arabia gives $100 million to the United Nations
Counter-Terrorism Center. (New York Times)

Commentary:

Adnan Abu Amer says Hamas believes its most important tunnels are
intact. (Al Monitor)

Avi Issacharoff says Hamas may not return to cease-fire negotiations.
(Times of Israel)

Udi Dekel asks if Israel is facing a war of attrition with Hamas. (INSS)

Mitch Ginsberg asks if the Gaza blockade is unraveling. (Times of Israel)

George Hishmeh says the White House seems to have conflicting stances
regarding Palestinians. (Gulf News)

Gershon Baskin says Israel doesn't seem to have a post-conflict
strategy. (Jerusalem Post)

The National says Israel is trying to crush the Palestinians spirit by
attacking soccer, but is not succeeding. (The National)

Anna Altman says, whether there is a resurgence of anti-Semitism or
not, Israel has lost the PR war in Europe. (New York Times)

Ari Shavit says Israeli liberals need to face the brutality of the
contemporary Middle East. (Ha'aretz)

Michael Hanna says Egyptian foreign policy is entirely fixated on
smashing Islamists everywhere. (Foreign Policy)

The Washington Post says "mission creep" in Iraq is inevitable.
(Washington Post)

David Horsey says, despite criticism, US airstrikes in Iraq are
preventing genocide. (Los Angeles Times)

James Jeffrey outlines how PM al-Maliki "broke Iraq." (Politico)

Michael Jansen says American policies are crucial for the prospects of
defeating IS in Iraq. (Jordan Times)

Joyce Karam looks at conspiracy theories in Lebanon, especially about
IS. (Al Arabiya)

Suzanne Kianpour also looks at Lebanese conspiracy theories about IS. (BBC)

Hussein Ibish offers an explanation for the rise in IS conspiracy
theories among Sunni Arabs. (NOW)

Robert Ford says, while IS is fighting in Iraq, moderate opposition
groups are gaining ground in Syria. (Foreign Policy)

Frederic Hof says saving Syria is no fantasy and strongly critiques US
policy. (Politico)

Michael Young says Christian communities are threatened in the Middle
East, but in Lebanon are also self-destructive. (Daily Star)

Alaa Al Aswany says when Egyptians become xenophobic, it reflects the
attitudes of their leaders, not the people. (New York Times)

News:

Palestinians are considering Egypt's proposal for a long-term Gaza
cease-fire. (AP/Reuters/Ma'an)

With a central role in cease-fire negotiations, Pres. Abbas is staging
a political comeback. (New York Times)

More Palestinians in Gaza are beginning to question Hamas's decisions
in the conflict. (Washington Post)

Five, including an Italian journalist, are killed during a
bomb-disposal accident in Gaza. (New York Times/Ma'an)

Israel's targeting of mosques has strained the social fabric of Gaza. (AP)

Israel strips a Palestinian who has been living in Canada of Jerusalem
residency rights. (Ha'aretz)

Former Pres. Mubarak defends his record in court. (AP/Xinhua)

France is planning to send weapons to Kurdish forces in Iraq. (New
York Times/AP)

The US is sending another 130 military advisers to Iraq. (New York Times)

PM al-Maliki's efforts to stay in power appear to be collapsing, but
he warns of chaos if he is replaced. (New York Times/AP)

IS militants seize two more Syrian towns. (AP)

Reuters looks at IS's recent series of successes in Syria and Iraq. (Reuters)

COMMENTARY:

Emma Pearson and Katie Welsford say while Hamas blurred the line
between civilians and military, Israel may have deleted it altogether.
(Asharq Al Awsat)

Gershom Gorenberg asks if Pres. Obama will "take advantage" of the
current tensions with Israel. (Ha'aretz)

Ben Capsit says Obama and many other Americans have failed to
understand PM Netanyahu and Israeli domestic politics. (Al Monitor)

Osama Al Sharif says Egypt should push for a more comprehensive
approach in Gaza cease-fire negotiations. (Jordan Times)

Peter Beinart says Hillary Clinton is the latest American politician
to act as "Israel's lawyer." (Ha'aretz)

Eugene Bird says it's time to lift the siege of Gaza. (Los Angeles Times)

Joseph Lieberman says the US has a chance to stop IS and supports
current airstrikes. (Washington Post)

Patrick Johnston and Benjamin Bahney say the US should try to dry up
IS's cash flow. (New York Times)

David Ignatius says IS is making mistakes Osama bin Laden warned
against. (Washington
Post)\

Doyle McManus says, like it or not, the US is back at war in Iraq.
(Los Angeles Times)

Asharq Al Awsat interviews  Egypt’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Shawqi Alla.
(Asharq Al Awsat)

News:

Cease-fire negotiations continue in Cairo as the temporary truce
holds. (AP/Reuters)

Hamas insists the people of Gaza have "nothing left to lose." (Al Monitor)

Israel's delegation reportedly appears to be open to measures easing
the Gaza blockade. (Ma'an/Ha'aretz)

Hamas is reportedly open to allowing PA security forces to monitor the
crossing with Egypt. (Jerusalem Post/Asharq Al-Awsat)

The head of the PA delegation to the Cairo negotiations says Hamas
rule in Gaza is "over." (Times of Israel)

Israeli officials say gaps in the negotiations are still "very wide."
(Times of Israel)

The costs of destruction from the war in Gaza are estimated at $5
billion. (Al Monitor)

Israeli warships open fire on Palestinian fishing vessels near Rafah. (Ma'an)

Palestinians are pushing for the creation of a Gaza seaport in
cease-fire negotiations in Cairo. (New York Times)

The Foreign Press Association condemns Hamas's censorship and
restrictions against journalists. (YNet)

Palestinian families are divided by Israeli policies. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

US welcomes the appointment of a new Iraqi Prime Minister designate.
(New York Times)

Iran also expresses support for the Iraqi Prime Minister designate. (AP)

PM al-Maliki orders the Iraqi Army to stay out of politics. (AP)

Al-Maliki appears more isolated than ever as tensions rise in Baghdad.
(AP/Reuters)

The New York Times profiles IS leader al-Baghdadi. (New York Times)

American officials reportedly admit they were taken aback by the rapid
rise of IS in Iraq. (Ha'aretz)

Human Rights Watch says "crimes against humanity" may have been
committed in Egypt last summer. (AP/Washington Post)

The Libyan Parliament agrees to direct presidential elections. (Reuters)

Commentary:

David Kenner says battle-hardened militants in Gaza see the current
truce as only temporary and want to keep fighting. (Foreign Policy)

Avi Issacharoff says talk of a deal in Cairo may be unduly optimistic.
(Times of Israel)

Raphael Ahren asks what Israel is expected to get out of the
negotiations. (Times of Israel)

Gadi Taub says many on the Israeli left supported the Gaza war because
Hamas opposes a two-state solution. (The Forward)

Janine Zacharia asks why Israel didn't use tunnel mapping technology
to avoid fatalities in Gaza. (Washington Post)

Uri Arad says the "Hannibal Directive" is the beginning of fascism in
Israel. (YNet)

Abdulrahman Al-Rashed says IS is wittingly or unwittingly serving
Pres. Assad and al-Maliki. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The New York Times says Iraq needs a new prime minister. (New York Times)

Ali Allawi says Iraqis need a prime mister who can unite them. (New York Times)

Ziad al-Ali says Iraqi institutions must be rebuilt from the top down.
(New York Times)

David Brooks says Hillary Clinton seems to be offering a wise
alternative on Iraq and other foreign policy challenges to Pres.
Obama's policies. (New York Times)

Aaron David Miller says Obama remains a risk-averse president, and
that's a good thing. (Foreign Policy)

Hassan Hassan says a new Iraqi Prime Minister presents important
opportunities for Arab Gulf states. (The National)

The Gulf News says Qatar must stop fighting with its GCC partners. (Gulf News)

News:

Palestinians and Israelis resume talks in Egypt and another
cease-fire. (New York Times/Reuters/Washington Post)

Hamas may have obtained money to pay unpaid salaries in Gaza. (Times of Israel)

Israeli forces kill a Fatah activist in a raid on Nablus. (Ma'an)

A Palestinian teenager is killed by Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank. (Xinhua/Reuters)

An Israeli airstrike damages a church in Gaza. (Washington Post)

Palestinians in Gaza expressed grief, anger and pride. (New York Times)

Gaza's wounded are a living reminder of the cost of war. (AP)

Turkey evacuates wounded Palestinians from Gaza. (AP/Reuters)

80 members of a Gaza clan have been living in a single household. (Los Angeles Times)

A Gaza teenager's tweets have made her social media phenomenon. (Reuters)

Anti-Israel tweets may have cost a professor his job at the University
of Illinois. (CNN)

International donors are already exploring ways of rebuilding in Gaza.
(The National)

The Gaza war is spurring campaigns to boycott Israel. (Ha'aretz)

Israeli arms manufacturers have made a great deal of money from the
Gaza war. (Ha'aretz)

Hamas is reported to have executed dozens of tunnel diggers. (Times of Israel)

Kurds retake Iraqi towns from Sunni extremists. (New York Times)

The US is sending weapons to Kurdish forces in Iraq. (AP)

PM al-Maliki intensifies efforts to keep his job. (AP)

Sec. Kerry issues a warning to al-Maliki. (New York Times/Washington Post)

Egypt dissolves the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Freedom and Justice Party. (Reuters)

Commentary:

Thomas Friedman interviews Pres. Obama. (New York Times)

Hillary Clinton appears to be critical of Obama's foreign policy. (The Atlantic)

The Forward says Pres. Abbas must play a crucial role in the aftermath
of the Gaza conflict. (The Forward)

David Kenner says the Gaza war is far from over. (Foreign Policy)

Roger Cohen says Israelis need to find their voices of conscience.
(New York Times)

Ronen Bergman says Hamas beat Israel in Gaza. (New York Times)

Uri Savir says resistance is now more popular than negotiations among
Palestinians. (Al Monitor)

Dennis Ross says Hamas could've chosen peace but made Gaza suffer.
(Washington Post)

Anis Kassim says Israel was not acting in self-defense in Gaza. (Jordan Times)

Elhanan Miller looks at the level of support for and opposition to
Hamas in Gaza. (Times of Israel)

Gideon Levy says Israeli should go to Gaza and learn about Palestinian
life there. (Ha'aretz)

Hana Salah says many journalists were killed in the Gaza war. (Al Monitor)

Mamoun Fandy says the Gaza hostilities demonstrate the end of the
Arab-Israeli conflict. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Salman Aldossary condemns what he calls "the campaign of lies and
incitement against Saudi Arabia." (Asharq Al Awsat)

Vali Nasr says the US can use its power to contain, but not reshape,
an emerging new Middle East. (New York Times)

Masoud Barzani says Kurdistan and Iraq need urgent help against
Islamic extremists. (Washington Post)

Hussein Ibish says ISIS and its narrative of success must be broken
immediately. (The National)

News:

The Gaza ceasefire expires as missiles are launched into Israel and
Israel resumes attacks on Gaza. (New York Times/Reuters/Los Angeles
Times/BBC)

A child is killed and 11 others injured in renewed Israeli strikes on
Gaza. (Ma'an)

Two Israelis are injured by rockets fired from Gaza. (Jerusalem Post)

Palestinians in Gaza once again flee their homes. (AFP)

The Gaza conflict could lead to the return of the PA to Gaza and
renewed peace talks. (Washington Post)

Israel declares Gaza an "enemy territory" to avoid compensating its
residents. (Ha'aretz)

Gaza is reeling from a humanitarian crisis brought on by the war. (Ha'aretz)

UNRWA is winning grudging respect from Israeli military officials. (The Forward)

Hamas reportedly executed one of its top officials a few days ago.
(Times of Israel)

Young people in Gaza dream of a better life. (Reuters)

The Economist lists the basic statistics on Israel and Gaza. (The Economist)

An Israeli professor is widely condemned for wishing safety to
Palestinians in Gaza. (The Forward)

Jordan is accused of barring entry to Palestinians fleeing Syria. (Reuters)

IS extremists make more advances against Kurdish forces in northern
Iraq. (New York Times)

Pres. Obama says the US may use air strikes to keep IS away from
Erbil. (AP/Reuters/Washington Post)

Iraqi and Kurdish officials welcome the announcement. (AP)

Obama's decision appears reluctant. (New York Times)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish looks at the dilemma facing Hamas between a failed war
and more war. (The Atlantic)

William Saletan says Israel, too, is caught in a bind. (Slate)

Alan Philps says the cycle of war in Gaza must be broken. (The National)

Gershom Gorenberg says peace is the only way to break the cycle of
violence. (American Prospect)

Yossi Sarid says Gaza is "driving Israel crazy." (Ha'aretz)

Gideon Levy says Israeli is "its own worst enemy." (CNN)

Zvi Bar'el says Pres. Sisi is a big winner for now but Hamas is
reshaping regional alliances. (Ha'aretz)

Matthew Levitt says Gaza is not about to become an Islamic state. (The
New Republic)

Bruce Riedel says Saudi Arabia was determined to ensure Sisi prevailed
in Gaza diplomacy. (Al Monitor)

Felice Friedson says the "terror tunnels" symbolize the trap of the
Gaza conflict. (The Media Line)

Ahmad Majdoubeh says Israel's military power needs to be curbed. (Jordan Times)

Amos Harel and Gili Cohen ask what happened in Rafah on "Black Friday"
(Ha'aretz)

George Hishmeh thinks Hamas has gained in popularity with Palestinians
and other Arabs. (Gulf News)

Erel Segal says Hamas's claims of victory ring hollow. (Al Monitor)

Shmuel Rosner says Israel can survive with its liberal "fair weather
fans." (New York Times)

The New York Times says the US and international community need to go
further in the battle against IS. (New York Times)

Abdulrahman Al-Rashed says Egyptian intervention in Libya may be
required. (Asharq Al- Awsat)

NEWS:

Mediators are working to extend the Gaza cease-fire. (Reuters)

Hamas and Israel remain at odds over terms. (AFP)

Egyptian officials say Israel is demanding the "demilitarization" of Gaza. (Ma'an)

Hamas is under pressure to accept Egypt's cease-fire demands. (Al Monitor)

EU states offer a plan for Gaza "disarmament." (Ha'aretz)

President Obama says Gaza cannot remain isolated from the world. (Reuters)

Talk now turns to the process of rebuilding in Gaza. (Washington Post)

PM Netanyahu blames Hamas for civilian casualties. (New York Times)

Israel orders more West Bank land seized for a settler road. (Ha'aretz)

Palestinian citizens of Israel feel threatened. (Christian Science Monitor)

Kurdish forces battle IS in northern Iraq. (New York Times)

IS forces have overrun several Christian villages in northern Iraq. (AP)

25 people in Yemen die in fighting between government forces and extremists. (AP)

An attack by militants on an Egyptian police checkpoint kills five people. (AP)

COMMENTARY:

Ha'aretz says it's time for Israel to resume negotiating with the PLO. (Ha'aretz)

AP assesses the outcome of the Gaza war, and finds Hamas weakened. (AP)

Hamad Al-Majid says Hamas did better in the conflict than many people think. (Asharq Al Awsat)

David Rothkopf thinks Israel was defeated in Gaza. (Foreign Policy)

Aaron David Miller gives mixed grades to the parties on their performance in the Gaza conflict, with Egypt faring best and Hamas faring worst. (Foreign Policy)

The New York Times says there has to be more than just a cease-fire in Gaza. (New York Times)

Amos Harel says Israel will use lessons from fighting Hamas to prepare for fighting against Hezbollah. (Ha'aretz)

Jack Khoury looks at Hamas's efforts to deal with Egypt. (Haaretz)

Nahum Barnea says both sides may have lost in the Gaza conflict. (YNet)

Kevin Connolly asks if diplomacy can bring a lasting peace to Gaza. (BBC)

Eylon Aslan-Levy says "obsessive" media coverage of the Gaza conflict is fueling anti-Semitism in Europe. (The Guardian)

J.J. Goldberg says PM Netanyahu faces a myriad of challenges after the Gaza war. (The Forward)

Ian Buruma says the killing of civilians always backfires. (Jordan Times)

Cesar Chelala says Israel has committed war crimes in Gaza. (The Daily Star)

Colum Lynch looks at the pitfalls potentially facing Palestinians of the ICC. (Foreign Policy)

Michael Young says fear is growing in Lebanon over a potential new Civil War. (The National)

News:

The Israel-Hamas cease-fire holds for a second day. (AP/Reuters/AFP)

Indirect cease-fire talks continue in Cairo. (BBC)

Hamas says It has not received an official response to its cease-fire
demands. (Ma'an)

Israel is reportedly seeking to "demilitarize" Gaza. (Jerusalem Post)

Gaza residents start to ask what was gained by the fighting. (Los Angeles Times)

A Hamas spokesman is reportedly attacked by Gaza residents. (YNet)

Indian and French TV report to show Hamas firing rockets near civilian
areas. (NDTV/France 24)

Concern remains about the potential for future clashes. (Washington Post)

The damage in Gaza starts to be assessed. (Washington
Post/Ha'aretz/The Guardian)

UNICEF says large numbers of children were killed in the Gaza conflict. (Xinhua)

Pres. Abbas declares gaza a disaster area. (Xinhua)

Hamas says it intends to keep its political and military wing
separate. (New York Times)

Israel says Hamas in Gaza ordered and funded the kidnapping and murder
of three Israeli teenagers in June. (Ha'aretz/Times of Israel)

Palestine seeks ICC support for charges against Israel. (Xinhua)

A survey suggests most Israelis think neither side won, but approve of
PM Netanyahu's performance. (Ha'aretz)

Israeli politicians say Netanyahu presented them with a "nightmare"
scenario involving the complete reconquest of Gaza. (Ha'aretz/Times of
Israel)

Some Israelis think the rightward political drift in the country is
solidifying. (New York Times)

Tunisia is concerned about potential returning jihadists. (New York Times)

New clashes erupt between the Lebanese army and extremists near the
Syrian border. (AP)

Iraq says it has killed 60 IS extremists. (AP/BBC)

Kurdish officials say their forces have had a major clash with IIS
extremists near Erbil. (Reuters)

Militants attack a police checkpoint in Egypt, leaving five killed. (AP/Xinhua)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish and Aaron David Miller discuss whether the Israel-Hamas
cease-fire will hold. (PBS NewsHour)

Tom Friedman says the only way to stabilize Gaza is to strengthen the
PA. (New York Times)

Ephraim Sneh says, in order to ensure Hamas does not benefit from the
war, Israel must strengthen the PA and its strategy. (Al Monitor)

Zvi Bar'el says Egypt is still the powerbroker regarding Gaza. (Ha'aretz)

Ahdaf Soueif says the large number of dead Palestinian children tells
a story of Israeli impunity. (Los Angeles Times)

David Horovitz says Israel may have won, but Hamas certainly lost.
(Times of Israel)

Jonathan Marcus says there were no winners. (BBC)

Uriel Heilman also assesses winners and losers. (JTA)

Avi Issacharoff says the winners may be radical groups even more
extreme than Hamas. (Times of Israel)

Abdullah Erakat says Abbas's political power is another casualty of
the war. (The Media Line)

David Kenner says Hamas must now battle its various enemies inside
Gaza. (Foreign Policy)

Rami Khouri says Palestinians need a revised and unified PLO. (Daily Star)

Shlomi Eldar says Israel fears more terror attacks in the West Bank.
(Al Monitor)

The CSM says Israelis and Palestinians ask for world empathy while
showing each other not. (Christian Science Monitor)

Gregg Carlstrom says Israel's hawks have intimidated the last remnants
of the antiwar left. (Foreign Policy)

Osama Al Sharif draws his own lessons from the Gaza conflict. (Jordan Times)

Hassan Hassan looks at the role of various Islamist groups in Syria.
(The National)

Hussein Ibish asks why no one is acting against ISIS? (Now)

The National says Kurds must not act solely in their own interests.
(The National)

Abdulrahman Al-Rashed says PM al-Maliki needs to go abroad, the few
countries will take him. (Asharq Al Awsat)

The New York Times says the rise of ISIS in Iraq is alarming. (New York Times)

Mohammed Fahad Al-Harthi says the Arab world is "drowning in
Machiavellianism." (Arab News)

News:

A 72 hour cease-fire mediated by Egypt takes hold between Israel and Hamas. (New York Times/Reuters/AFP)

Israel says it has pulled its forces either out of Gaza or into "defensive positions." (BBC)

A northern Gaza farming town now reportedly looks like an earthquake zone. (Reuters)

A noted Gaza psychologist now has to deal with the loss of many of his relatives. (New York Times)

Violent death has become a way of life in Gaza. (AP)

Both sides in the Gaza conflict prepare for a UN war crimes probe. (AP)

The injured in Gaza are going untreated because of an ambulance shortage. (Ha'aretz)

"Bomb Gaza" apps are removed from the Google store. (Ha'aretz)

Iran acknowledges it gave missile technology to Hamas. (AP)

FM Lieberman denounces proposals to bring PA security forces into the Gaza border crossing with Egypt. (Ha'aretz)

An Israeli security guard in the occupied West Bank is reportedly stabbed by Palestinian. (YNet)

The Libyan parliament convenes as militias continue to battle around them. (New York Times/Reuters)

Commentary:

Asmaa al-Ghoul describes the killing of nine of her family members in an Israeli attack. (Al Monitor)

Atef Abu Saif chronicles daily life in Gaza under Israeli assault. (New York Times)

David Ignatius says PM Netanyahu has a duty to make peace. (Washington Post)

Roger Cohen says Palestinian statehood is key to peace. (New York Times)

Ali Jarbawi says Israel's colonialism must end. (New York Times)

Elhanan Miller asks if Hamas or Hezbollah are learning more from each other about tunnels. (Times of Israel)

Mitch Ginsburg says Israel has forsaken the element of surprise. (Times of Israel)

Jane Eisner looks at lessons to be learned from the Times of Israel's blunder allowing a pro-genocide blog post. (The Forward)

Jonathan Cook says Israel was "deceitful" about its allegedly captured soldier. (The National)

Akiva Eldar says the Gaza war has stifled democracy in Israel. (Al Monitor)

Linda Heard asks if there's a silver lining in the Gaza conflict. (Gulf News)

Jimmy Carter and Mary Robinson say it's time to treat Hamas as a "legitimate actor." (Foreign Policy)

Jonathan Schanzer says Turkey and Qatar should be considered proxies for terrorists. (Foreign Policy)

Christopher Hill says the US needs a real policy about Arab state disintegration. (Daily Star)

News:

Palestinians accuse Israel of breaking its own unilateral seven-hour
truce and killing a young girl. (Reuters/Ma'an)

16 more Palestinians were killed in the run-up to the "humanitarian
truce." (Ma'an)

Israel pulls most of its troops back from the heart of Gaza. (Washington Post)

10 more Palestinians are killed as Israel shells a UN school being
used as a shelter for displaced persons in Gaza. (Ma'an)

The US says it is "appalled" by the "disgraceful" shelling by Israel
of a UN school. (AP)

US Amb. to the UN Power calls the school attack "horrifying." (US
Mission to the UN)

The UN expresses outrage over the attack on the school. (AFP)

UNRWA says it warned Israel 33 times about the location and
vulnerability of the school. (UNRWA)

International controversy rages over the school attack. (New York Times)

Gaza families return to their homes and survey the wreckage. (Reuters)

FM Lieberman calls for a new UN mandate in Gaza. (Ha'aretz)

France says the Gaza war may require "an imposed solution." (AP)

Dubai's police chief strongly criticizes Hamas. (YNet)

Gaza hospitals are reportedly overwhelmed. (New York Times)

Hamas fighters say they are using a new version of sniper rifle
manufactured in Gaza. (Ma'an)

The Washington Post profiles the head of Hamas' military wing. (Washington Post)

Israelis view military deaths as an inevitable cost. (Washington Post)

A Palestinian delegation presents its demands at a meeting in Cairo. (AFP)

The US and Qatar may be once again working on an alternative to the
Egypt-centric approach for a cease-fire. (Times of Israel)

Israel reportedly "spied on Sec. Kerry during peace talks." (AFP)

Gaza is already looking to post-war aid in order to rebuild. (Reuters)

In the midst of war, Israeli and Palestinian students dialogue in
Washington DC. (Times of Israel)

IS militants in Iraq sees three towns from Kurdish forces threatening
a major dam. (New York Times/AP/Reuters)

Iraq's Yazidi minority flees IS extremists. (AP)

Syrian rebels kill 10 Lebanese troops and captured over a dozen more
in a raid on a Lebanese border town. (AP)

22 are killed in clashes over Libya's main international airport. (AP)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish says Hamas is angling for a stronger presence in the
West Bank, even at the expense of Gaza. (The National)

David Kenner looks at possible instability, caused by the Gaza war, in
the West Bank. (Foreign Policy)

Stephen Robert says only a two-state solution can prevent future Gaza
conflicts. (Ha'aretz)

Sami Abdel-Shafi says Gaza desperately needs the world's help. (Gulf News)

Sever Plocker says the Gaza war may be a diplomatic turning point,
with a new push for a peace agreement. (YNet)

Nathan Thrall says the solution is to allow the new Palestinian
government to rule in Gaza and rebuild it. (London Review of Books)

Avi Issacharoff says if Hamas doesn't succeed in a major attack it
will be humiliated, but, if it does, that could bring a dreadful
retribution. (Times of Israel)

Shlomi Eldar says Israel's unilateral withdrawal could leave Hamas
empty-handed. (Al Monitor)

Ha'aretz asks what comes next after Israel's partial withdrawal from
Gaza. (Ha'aretz)

Amer Al Sabaileh says Egypt remains key to any Gaza solution. (Jordan Times)

Kamel Abu Jaber says Israel's violent approach will never bring it
security. (Jordan Times)

Amos Harel says, with Israel's ground operation apparently winding
down, the battle over narratives has begun. (Ha'aretz)

David Horovitz says nothing Israel has done will prevent Hamas from
fighting future battles. (Times of Israel)

Ayman Mohyeldin says no Palestinian is safe in Gaza and there is
nowhere to hide. (MSNBC)

Roger Cohen looks at differences in perceptions of Israel in the US
and Europe. (New York Times)

Thomas Friedman says neither Israel nor Hamas have a good way out of
the current conflict. (York Times)

Abdel Monem Said also does not see either party benefiting from the
Gaza war. (Asharq Al Awsat)

The National says the First World War offers lessons for Hamas and
Israel. (The National)

Nahum Barnea says Israel has no mission in Gaza. (Ynet)

Anshel Pfeffer explains Israel's "Hannibal doctrine." (Ha'aretz)

David Bosco questions the impartiality of the UN in Gaza and similar
conflicts. (Washington Post)

Steve Caplan criticizes the medical journal The Lancet for publishing
"propaganda." (The Guardian)

Linda Gradstein and Herb Keinon both say the Gaza war has revealed an
unlikely Arab/Israeli alliance against Hamas. (The Media
Line/Jerusalem Post)

Paul Mason says he was surprised to find so much hope amid the terror
in Gaza. (The Guardian)

Abdul Sattar Hatita asks who's winning in Libya. (Asharq Al Awsat)

News:

Israel declares the latest Gaza ceasefire over. (Reuters/New York Times)

The Palestinian Ministry of Health says at least 50 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli shellingsince the ceasefire was broken. (Ma’an/PNN/JTA)

Palestinian militants capture an Israeli soldier. (Washington Post/Ma’an/JTA/Ha’aretz)

Hamas claims responsibility for the capture of the Israeli soldier. (Ma’an/PNN)

The US calls for the release of the abducted Israeli soldier. (Ynet)

PM Netanyahu tells Sec. Kerry Hamas broke the promises it gave him. (Times of Israel)

Five Israeli troops die in a mortar explosion near the border with Gaza, hours before the ceasefire. (JTA/Ha’aretz)

The Israeli army threatens to call up 80,000 reservists and to “re-occupy” Rafah. (Ma’an)

Islamic Jihad says Egypt is delaying Gaza talks after an Israeli soldier was captured. (AFP/Al Ahram)

Tensions escalate between Israel and the UN over the war in Gaza. (New York Times)

Pres. Abbas is seeking broad support to seek war crimes charges against Israel at the ICC. (AP)

Head of UNRWA Krahenbuhl says Palestinians are “facing a precipice” in Gaza. (The National)

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia says the war in Gaza is a “crime against humanity.” (AP)

School shelters in Gaza offer limited safety for Palestinian civilians. (New York Times)

The US defends its decision to supply Israel with ammunitions during the Gaza conflict. (Reuters) 

The US Senate blocks Iron Dome funding to Israel. (Jerusalem Post/Ynet)

Ayatollah Sistani appeals to politicians not to be "an obstacle" in Iraq’s process of transition. (AP)

The FAA places new restrictions on flights over Iraq. (AP)

FM Zebari blames PM Maliki for the IS insurgency. (Reuters)

Kurds in Iraq are reportedly pressing the Obama administration for more arms to fight IS. (Reuters)

IS imposes new media restrictions in the Syrian province of Deir al-Zor. (Reuters)

Syrian refugee girls and women face sexual exploitation in Lebanon. (AP)

Commentary:

Former PM Fayyad discusses how the break the vicious cycle in Gaza in remarks at the Atlantic Council. (Atlantic Council)

Ahdaf Soueif says the death of Palestinian children in Gaza tells the story of impunity. (Los Angeles Times)

Alan Philps looks at the life of Palestinians in Beit Hanoun. (The National)

Khaled Elgindy thinks a third intifada will spread to the occupied West Bank. (Foreign Affairs)

Anthony Cordesman says the escalation between Israel and Hamas is leading to nowhere. (CSIS)

Abdel Monem Said say both Israel and Hamas are demanding more than they can achieve. (Al Arabiya)

The Daily Star says the US should stop pretending that it can be an honest peace broker. (Daily Star)

Barak Ravid looks at behind the scenes of the short-lived Gaza ceasefire. (Ha’aretz)

Eugene Robinson says people should give Kerry a break for his efforts at an Israel-Gaza ceasefire. (Washington Post)

Peter Beinart says on Gaza, Israel is losing Pres. Obama’s coalition. (Ha’aretz)

Avi Issacharoff says Israel is learning to prevail in Gaza’s tunnel wars. (Times of Israel)

The CSM looks at Israel’s idea of disarming Gaza. (Christian Science Monitor)

Shlomi Eldar says Israel’s blockade of Gaza was a mistake. (Al-Monitor)

Abdullah Hamidaddin says jointly condemning Israel and Hamas is wrong. (Al Arabiya)

Yoel Marcus says Israel must relaunch peace talks when the Gaza fighting ends. (Ha’aretz)

Bakir Oweida asks what will happen when the fighting stops in Gaza. (Asharq al-Awsat)

The National says in the Middle East, bombs can target cultures as well as buildings. (The National)

Amir Taheri says the new Iraqi Speaker of the Parliament Fuad Masoum is a man of “calm strength.”(Asharq al-Awsat)

Michael Gerson says the international community has turned its back on Syrian atrocities. (Washington Post)