Whichever way you look at it, however, one thing is for sure: more tragic deaths will occur either on the battlefields of Gaza or in the tunnels below.
Infighting among the highest ranks in the terrorist organization Hamas has led to delays in the ceasefire and hostage release deal that is currently on the table.
Israel is heading into a complicated period that will test this country in new ways. A ceasefire might end the high-intensity offensive in Gaza, but for some, the real battle is just beginning.
"I expect that Hamas will not reject the paper, but it might not give a decisive agreement either," said a Palestinian official speaking on condition of anonymity.
At least 48 cities have passed symbolic resolutions calling for a halt to Israel's Gaza war.
"I think it's fair to describe them as constructive," White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on CNN.
"We expect the ICJ to throw out these spurious and specious charges," the spokesperson, Eylon Levy, said in a briefing.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir raised his opposition to the reported agreement, writing on X, "in favor of returning the hostages, against an awful deal."
Hamas's willingness to discuss a release deal indicates a change in its policy, having stressed previously that it would only release the remaining hostages in exchange for a permanent ceasefire.
While Israel has sought to negotiate one stage at a time, Hamas is seeking "a package deal" that agrees a permanent ceasefire before hostages are released.
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