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Despite the diplomatic push and despite the rumors of imminent peace, there was no cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas. On Wednesday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will head to Cairo to try to broker a deal.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrives in the region Tuesday. And in Cairo, Egypt's new Islamic leadership is now serving as a mediator between the Israelis and Gaza's Hamas-led government.

As diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas intensify, analysts say Hamas appears to be in a stronger position than ever before. Diplomatically, it has received enthusiastic support from Egypt and other Arab neighbors. And, the conflict has helped to strengthen Hamas domestic political position.

Egypt has stepped up negotiations on a cease-fire between Israel and the Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip on Monday. Hamas' top leader and two senior Israeli envoys were in Cairo and met separately with Egyptian officials, including President Mohammed Morsi. One of Morsi's aides said a truce deal could be imminent.

The Arab Spring and its aftermath have radically changed the dynamics in the Middle East, and this makes this round of Israeli-Palestinian fighting different from previous battles.

Here are the takeaways from the sixth day of Israel's military operation in the Gaza Strip: The Palestinian death toll crossed 100; militants fired 95 rockets at Israel. Egypt and others tried to work toward a cease-fire.

At least one rocket was fired from Gaza toward Tel Aviv on Sunday, but was thwarted by Israeli missile defense. Israel continued airstrikes overnight, hitting two media buildings that house both domestic and foreign news agencies.

The conflict between Israel and the Gaza Strip continues to escalate after Israeli airstrikes flattened key targets in Gaza and Palestinian rockets threatened deeper into Israel than ever before.

On Saturday, Israel launched more airstrikes in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. In the fourth day of the conflict, Hamas also continues to fire rockets at Israel. Weekends on All Things Considered host Guy Raz talks with NPR's Anthnoy Kuhn, who's in Gaza for the latest.

The problems of finding a lasting peace in the Middle East almost make solutions to America's problems seem easily attainable. Weekends on All Things Considered host Guy Raz speaks with James Fallows of The Atlantic about the difference between America's momentary problems and Israel's existential contradictions.