The conflict in Gaza

In late February, Israle began a five day offensive in Gaza and more than 100 Palestinians were killed. Meanwhile Hamas had been pounding the Israeli city of Ashkelon with Iranian-bought rockets and then last Thursday a Palestinian gunman mowed down students at a religious school in Jerusalem. In all, an Israeli invasion of Gaza seemed imminent but then the violence stopped and both sides stepped back from the brink. There have been reports that Israel and Hamas agreed on a ceasefire but leaders on both sides denied that. Yet is the operative term on a ceasefire, as in there is none yet. Egypt is trying to broker a truce between the two sides. This Egyptian spokesman confirmed this on Al Jazeera today. A Hamas spokesman says an agreement must go beyond just a ceasefire, and include lifting of gates like the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt. It remained closed until January when it was blasted open. Now Hamas wants the border officially opened but Israel won’t cede control of the border to Hamas. The editor of a website predicts this ceasefire will end as all others have, not successfully.