The many reasons Netanyahu may be delaying an Israeli ground offensive in Gaza

American officials have supported Israel’s desire to destroy Hamas while also putting pressure on Israeli leaders to proceed with caution, minimize civilian casualties and try to free hostages.

“If Washington thinks they have an ability to squeeze more hostages out in advance of a ground invasion by working with Egypt and Qatar, they will seek to do that,” said Jonathan Lord, a senior fellow and the director of the Middle East Security program at the Center for New American Security in Washington.

“Hamas would seek to let hostages out in dribs and drabs to forever delay a ground invasion,” he said. “But on the flip side, if the U.S. can use the leverage of a pending ground invasion to twist Hamas’ arm to let more people out, they’re going to try.”

U.S. and international pressure has also helped secure the arrival of aid trucks to Gaza. “Originally, part of President Biden’s visit to the region was to set up a pathway to get aid to the public in Gaza,” Lord added. “Trucks have been coming in. It’s obviously insufficient to need but it’s not nothing.

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