Hello and welcome to another episode of Battleground with me Patrick Bishop and Saul David.

Well, the scenario we suggested in last week's podcast has come to pass.

The ceasefires collapsed with each side blaming the other. Israel has resumed its air and ground

offensive and civilians are dying in large numbers again. We'll be looking at all that,

but also telling you something about the mood inside Israel via a conversation I had

with a contact who's been there throughout. Yes, and as we also suggested last week,

the resumption of the IDF offensive has increased external pressure on Israel to stop, or at least

to rein in its attacks. Inside the country, there's also some criticism of the government's strategy,

not because of concerns over civilian casualties, but because of the risks the resumption of

hostilities brings to the hundred or so hostages that Hamas are still holding. Let's deal with

the outside pressure first. The tone from Washington has changed somewhat from the full-throated

backing of the first few days post-7 October, hasn't it, Patrick?

Yes, indeed. Last week, we spoke about the window of legitimacy, in quotes,

available to the IDF before the Palestinian civilian death toll, weakened support for their ruthless approach. Well, that seems to be closing fast.

It's what Washington says and thinks that counts in Tel Aviv, most, of course, and the voices

from Washington are full of anxiety. It would seem the other day day the White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan

stated that, quote, too many innocent civilians have died in Gaza. He went on to say that the

so-called no strike zones that Israel has identified in southern Gaza, urging Palestinians

together there where they'll be safe from airstrikes have to be respected,

saying in those zones we do expect Israel to follow through in not striking. So you could say

that the White House has drawn a red line there and there'll be consequences if Israel steps over it.

And in Europe, French President Emmanuel Macron

...