This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/21/gaza-israel

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Israel and Hamas will struggle to turn Gaza's suffering into tangible gains Israel and Hamas will struggle to turn Gaza's suffering into tangible gains
(about 20 hours later)
Ending a war is harder than starting one, as the international envoys and negotiators trying to cobble together a Gaza ceasefire and then a longer-term truce will discover in the coming days. Pressure for effective diplomacy is mounting because of outrage over the dreadful toll of Palestinian casualties, including scores of children and women, in Gaza City's Shujai'iya area at the weekend.Ending a war is harder than starting one, as the international envoys and negotiators trying to cobble together a Gaza ceasefire and then a longer-term truce will discover in the coming days. Pressure for effective diplomacy is mounting because of outrage over the dreadful toll of Palestinian casualties, including scores of children and women, in Gaza City's Shujai'iya area at the weekend.
Yet even before talks begin in earnest, rival agendas are complicating the search for a swift cessation of hostilities, with Egypt, Israel and the Palestinian Authority in one camp and Hamas, Qatar and Turkey in the other.Yet even before talks begin in earnest, rival agendas are complicating the search for a swift cessation of hostilities, with Egypt, Israel and the Palestinian Authority in one camp and Hamas, Qatar and Turkey in the other.
Barack Obama's pledge of a US effort to halt the fighting immediately may have a galvanising effect. But John Kerry, secretary of state, will still have his work cut out trying to bridge the gap between these two camps – as well as resisting demands from Israel and Egypt.Barack Obama's pledge of a US effort to halt the fighting immediately may have a galvanising effect. But John Kerry, secretary of state, will still have his work cut out trying to bridge the gap between these two camps – as well as resisting demands from Israel and Egypt.
Hamas, for its part, has a spectacularly bad relationship with Egypt's president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, and with the Saudis, who back Sisi's anti-Muslim Brotherhood campaign. It will not be easily convinced that Sisi wants to ease the blockade of Gaza, which he has done so much to reinforce, in effect in coordination with Israel, since overthrowing the democratically elected Mohamed Morsi last summer.Hamas, for its part, has a spectacularly bad relationship with Egypt's president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, and with the Saudis, who back Sisi's anti-Muslim Brotherhood campaign. It will not be easily convinced that Sisi wants to ease the blockade of Gaza, which he has done so much to reinforce, in effect in coordination with Israel, since overthrowing the democratically elected Mohamed Morsi last summer.
Egypt's original ceasefire proposals, tabled last week, called for PLO personnel to be deployed at the Rafah border crossing into Egypt – a way to partially restore PLO rule to Gaza for the first time since the Hamas takeover in 2007. That sounds like a roundabout way of weakening the Islamist movement, though it might be acceptable in the context of the reconciliation agreement that was signed with the PLO in the spring – and which Israel's Binyamin Netanyahu worked so hard to undermine. However and whenever this crisis ends, boosting unity can only help the Palestinian cause.Egypt's original ceasefire proposals, tabled last week, called for PLO personnel to be deployed at the Rafah border crossing into Egypt – a way to partially restore PLO rule to Gaza for the first time since the Hamas takeover in 2007. That sounds like a roundabout way of weakening the Islamist movement, though it might be acceptable in the context of the reconciliation agreement that was signed with the PLO in the spring – and which Israel's Binyamin Netanyahu worked so hard to undermine. However and whenever this crisis ends, boosting unity can only help the Palestinian cause.
Israel began its ground operation in Gaza with the limited goal of destroying Hamas "terror tunnels". But its assault on Shujai'iya on Saturday looked far more ambitious. "Mission creep" comparisons are already being made with the 2006 Lebanon war. "There are concerns in Gaza ... that the operation will slide, unplanned and with no method, into a much larger operation than that conceived by its planners," commented Amos Harel in the liberal daily Haaretz.Israel began its ground operation in Gaza with the limited goal of destroying Hamas "terror tunnels". But its assault on Shujai'iya on Saturday looked far more ambitious. "Mission creep" comparisons are already being made with the 2006 Lebanon war. "There are concerns in Gaza ... that the operation will slide, unplanned and with no method, into a much larger operation than that conceived by its planners," commented Amos Harel in the liberal daily Haaretz.
Domestic political considerations will count heavily for both sides. Israel will need to demonstrateto its own public that it has caused extensive damage to the tunnels and other Hamas infrastructure – especially the manufacture and storage of the missiles it fires across the border. Nevertheless, it has made clear it does not seek to overthrow Hamas or to bring Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, back into Gaza on the back of one of its tanks, let alone to reoccupy the strip it abandoned in 2005. The loss of 13 soldiers in one battle will be hard to justify in the absence of lasting security gains.Domestic political considerations will count heavily for both sides. Israel will need to demonstrateto its own public that it has caused extensive damage to the tunnels and other Hamas infrastructure – especially the manufacture and storage of the missiles it fires across the border. Nevertheless, it has made clear it does not seek to overthrow Hamas or to bring Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, back into Gaza on the back of one of its tanks, let alone to reoccupy the strip it abandoned in 2005. The loss of 13 soldiers in one battle will be hard to justify in the absence of lasting security gains.
Of the two protagonists, Hamas sounds the more confident. Gaza, said Ismail Haniyeh, the former prime minister, was "unbreakable". Palestinians – many of them civilians – have suffered heavy losses that have been highlighted by global media coverage and accompanying anger. Resistance is after all, Hamas's raison d'être, but translating human suffering into tangible gains will be vital.Of the two protagonists, Hamas sounds the more confident. Gaza, said Ismail Haniyeh, the former prime minister, was "unbreakable". Palestinians – many of them civilians – have suffered heavy losses that have been highlighted by global media coverage and accompanying anger. Resistance is after all, Hamas's raison d'être, but translating human suffering into tangible gains will be vital.
Its jubilation over (the apparently false) claim that its fighters had captured an Israeli soldier underlined the importance of anything that can help free prisoners. But Hamas risks miscalculating its own strength in the face of a coalition of powerful enemies – and little significant state support of its own.Its jubilation over (the apparently false) claim that its fighters had captured an Israeli soldier underlined the importance of anything that can help free prisoners. But Hamas risks miscalculating its own strength in the face of a coalition of powerful enemies – and little significant state support of its own.
Like any negotiation, success will lie in giving both sides a sense of victory – however many people lie dead when the guns and rockets finally fall silent. Simply returning to the status quo and another ceasefire will not achieve that.Like any negotiation, success will lie in giving both sides a sense of victory – however many people lie dead when the guns and rockets finally fall silent. Simply returning to the status quo and another ceasefire will not achieve that.
• This article was amended on 22 July 2014 to remove an error in the standfirst.