On Friday, the left-leaning Israeli newspaper Haaretz—which is also the country’s most prestigious if not its most widely read—ran a story about Israel soldiers shooting at Palestinian civilians in Gaza who had come to receive humanitarian aid. The item was a showcase of the outlet’s flaws: a sensational headline, not justified by the actual content; an English version of the article that distorted the original; and a general rush to the most damning possible interpretation of the evidence. Haviv Rettig Gur delves into the story, what it exposes about Haaretz, what really happened, and, most importantly, the real failures of the IDF that it reveals—which might be moral failures but are certainly strategic ones. (Video, 48 minutes. Also available in podcast form.)

Considering the current state of Israel-Arab relations, Ghaith al-Omari writes

First and foremost, no ceasefire will be possible without the release of Israeli hostages and commitments to disarm Hamas and remove it from power. The final say on these matters rests with Hamas commanders on the ground in Gaza, who have been largely impervious to foreign pressure so far. At minimum, however, the United States should insist that Qatari and Egyptian mediators push Hamas’s external leadership to accept these conditions publicly, which could increase pressure on the group’s Gaza leadership.

Washington should also demand a clear, public position from key Arab states regarding disarmament. The Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas endorsed this position in a June letter to Saudi Arabia and France, giving Arab states Palestinian cover for endorsing it themselves.

Some Arab states have already indicated a willingness to play a significant role, but they will have little incentive to commit resources and personnel to Gaza unless Israel (1) provides guarantees that it will not occupy the Strip indefinitely, and (2) removes its veto on a PA role in Gaza’s future, even if only symbolic at first. Arab officials are also seeking assurances that any role they play in Gaza will be in the context of a wider effort to reach a two-state solution.

On the other hand, Washington must remain mindful that current conditions between Israel and the Palestinians are not remotely conducive to . . . implementing a two-state solution.