All UK dailies report on the continued rocket fire from Gaza and the stalemate in ceasefire negotiations, whilst Israel has delayed the deployment of ground troops and continued its airstrikes. The Independent i report on the continued barrage of rocket fire towards Israel while the Times claims that over 1000 smuggling tunnels have been destroyed by Israel, describing them as an ‘underground lifeline’ to Gazan people. The Daily Express, Independent, Independent i, Daily Telegraph, Guardian, Daily Mail and Metro London report on the public execution by masked gunmen of 6 Palestinians yesterday, who were suspected of collaborating with Israel. One of the bodies was photographed tied to a motorbike and being dragged through the streets.

Metro London claims that negotiations were stalled last night when Israel failed to respond to a proposal from Hamas. The same paper also reported that two cameramen and an educational programming director who worked for TV channels linked to Hamas were killed yesterday.

The Financial Times, Evening Standard and Telegraph report on US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton’s visit, her ‘rock-solid’ commitment to Israel and her call for Israel and Hamas to ‘de-escalate’ the conflict. The Telegraph reports that the two sides are nearing a truce while the Guardian cautiously claims that the deal ‘hangs in the balance.’ The Financial Times analyses the gulf in military capabilities of the two sides and the corresponding gulf in expectations. The Guardian editorial notes that fighting intensifies the closer the possibility of a ceasefire gets. The Paper also runs a feature analysing the responses of the foreign media and governments to the crisis in Gaza. The Guardian features interviews with Ashkelon residents while the Independent reports public support for the operation among Beersheva residents.

The Evening Standard notes that the number of rockets fired from Gaza towards Israel is reducing steadily. It conjectures whether this is because Hamas and Islamic Jihad are running out of supplies, or because peace talks in Cairo are making progress, or whether they are preparing for a possible ground invasion. The Independent i reports that a long range rocket, probably supplied by Iran was fired from within 500 yards of a hospital yesterday. It landed in Gush Etzion, just south of Jerusalem, an area previously considered beyond rocket range.

Oped pieces include Robert Fisk in the Independent, while Independent i includes a piece that lays out the difficultly Egypt faces in carrying public opinion, controlling Hamas and addressing Israel’s security concerns.

The Sun reports on the BBC’s problematic coverage of the conflict, noting that a BBC war reporter tweeted a horrifying photo of a child it was claimed was injured by Israeli bombs in Gaza, only to find the picture was taken in Syria. In related articles, the Guardian letters page prints a claim of antisemitism following the publishing of Steve Bell’s cartoon depicting Tony Blair and William Hague as Benjamin Netanyahu’s glove puppets. The Daily Mail claims that the Arab Spring has given Islamic extremists a self-confidence that they were lacking and The Guardian online reports that UK Foreign Minister William Hague has recognised the Syrian opposition as the sole representative of the Syrian people.

In the Israeli media, all papers cover both the edging closer to a ceasefire and the extensive destruction of Hamas infrastructure. Yediot Ahronot notes that Tuesday was the bloodiest in the seven day operation, with two Israelis killed, a soldier and a civilian, by mortar shell and rocket fire in the Eshkol Regional Council, and eight Israelis injured. A salvo of 16 rockets was fired at Be’er Sheva, of which four rockets hit the city. Israel Hayom reports that a rocket landed in Rishon Lezion, seriously damaging a building, and Ma’ariv reports that it was a Fajr 5 rocket with a warhead weighing no less than 90 kg. Israeli Radio reports that 200 rockets have been fired towards Israel since yesterday and that Israeli strikes have targeted a bridge connecting Gaza City and the central Gaza Strip, a Hamas compound in Gaza City, a police station in Khan Yunis and a security facility in Rafah, in addition to smuggling tunnels and rocket launching sites.  Haaretz claims that the trio of senior ministers are not in agreement, with Barak in favour of acceding to the Egyptian ceasefire, while Lieberman is refusing to concede on Important Issues. Israeli Radio reports that Netanyahu is trying to exhaust all diplomatic means before launching a group operation. It claims that Israeli actions have already restored deterrence from future rocket attacks, but Ma’ariv argues that Hamas will emerge stronger with minimal deterrent impact. Ma’ariv reporter Amir Rappaport is pessimistic about the success of the operation for Israel if a ceasefire is reached soon. He opines that if Israel concedes to Hamas in a truce agreement by opening crossings, then Hamas will have achieved militarily what it could not do diplomatically.

Shimon Shiffer in Yedioth Ahronot claims that Israel can only stop the rockets long term through an extended ground operation and ongoing presence, like that installed following Operation Defensive Shield against suicide bombings emanating from the West Bank. He claims that Hamas will emerge stronger because Israel has negotiated with it.

All dailies note that the politicians managed expectations going into the conflict, promising a serious and not a decisive blow. But the longer the conflict goes on, the more expectations are growing and many in the South are calling for continued action to remove the threat of rockets. Ma’ariv reports that hundreds of people demonstrated yesterday in Be’er Sheva, Ashkelon and Ashdod upon hearing news of the possibility of a ceasefire, calling for a longer, more thorough operation. Nahum Barnea in Yediot Ahronot notes that the US administration is trying to use the conflict to strengthen the Sunni side in the Arab world against the Shiite axis.