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Israeli Premier Voices Regret for Civilian Casualties, but Blames Hamas Israeli Premier Voices Regret for Civilian Casualties, but Blames Hamas
(about 2 hours later)
JERUSALEM — Facing withering international criticism of the Palestinian death toll in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel deeply regretted every civilian casualty of its monthlong military campaign but that Hamas must be held accountable for the loss of life.JERUSALEM — Facing withering international criticism of the Palestinian death toll in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel deeply regretted every civilian casualty of its monthlong military campaign but that Hamas must be held accountable for the loss of life.
Concerned about world opinion and accusations of possible war crimes, Mr. Netanyahu took the rare step of calling in the foreign news media to his office where he made his first public remarks the day after a 72-hour cease-fire took effect and as talks for a more lasting solution got underway in Cairo. An Israeli official said Israel would be willing to extend the cease-fire as long as it remained unconditional. Concerned about world opinion and accusations of possible war crimes, Mr. Netanyahu took the rare step of calling in the foreign news media to his office, where he made his first public remarks the day after a 72-hour cease-fire took effect and as talks for a more lasting solution got underway in Cairo. An Israeli official said Israel would be willing to extend the cease-fire as long as it remained unconditional.
“Every civilian casualty is a tragedy, a tragedy of Hamas’s own making,” Mr. Netanyahu said, blaming Hamas for embedding its fighters among civilians in residential areas.“Every civilian casualty is a tragedy, a tragedy of Hamas’s own making,” Mr. Netanyahu said, blaming Hamas for embedding its fighters among civilians in residential areas.
Israel, he said, acted to protect its citizens from thousands of rockets fired from Gaza and from attacks by “death squads” through tunnels running under the border into Israel.Israel, he said, acted to protect its citizens from thousands of rockets fired from Gaza and from attacks by “death squads” through tunnels running under the border into Israel.
In Washington, President Obama expressed hope on Wednesday that the cease-fire would hold and said the United States would work to build a more sustainable resolution of grievances. While he repeated his defense of Israel’s right to respond to Hamas’s rocket and tunnel attacks, he said it was time to find a way to ease the economic stranglehold over Gaza, to aid “ordinary people who are struggling within Gaza.”In Washington, President Obama expressed hope on Wednesday that the cease-fire would hold and said the United States would work to build a more sustainable resolution of grievances. While he repeated his defense of Israel’s right to respond to Hamas’s rocket and tunnel attacks, he said it was time to find a way to ease the economic stranglehold over Gaza, to aid “ordinary people who are struggling within Gaza.”
Earlier Wednesday, the secretary general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, told the General Assembly that “the massive death and destruction in Gaza have shocked and shamed the world.” He added that the repeated shelling of United Nations facilities in Gaza where civilians had sought safety — deadly attacks that have been attributed to Israel — were “outrageous, unacceptable and unjustifiable.”Earlier Wednesday, the secretary general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, told the General Assembly that “the massive death and destruction in Gaza have shocked and shamed the world.” He added that the repeated shelling of United Nations facilities in Gaza where civilians had sought safety — deadly attacks that have been attributed to Israel — were “outrageous, unacceptable and unjustifiable.”
In a statement broadcast in Hebrew, Mr. Netanyahu addressed Israeli concerns about security in the south. But he quickly turned to the international audience to make the case, in English, that Hamas bore responsibility for the high death toll, noting that Israel accepted an Egyptian proposal for a truce after a week of air attacks, when, he said, the death toll in Gaza stood at 185.In a statement broadcast in Hebrew, Mr. Netanyahu addressed Israeli concerns about security in the south. But he quickly turned to the international audience to make the case, in English, that Hamas bore responsibility for the high death toll, noting that Israel accepted an Egyptian proposal for a truce after a week of air attacks, when, he said, the death toll in Gaza stood at 185.
Hamas rejected that proposal, Israel launched a ground operation, and by the end more than 1,800 Palestinians had been killed, many of them civilians.Hamas rejected that proposal, Israel launched a ground operation, and by the end more than 1,800 Palestinians had been killed, many of them civilians.
“A full 90 percent of the fatalities in this conflict could have been avoided had Hamas not rejected then the cease-fire that it accepts now,” Mr. Netanyahu said.“A full 90 percent of the fatalities in this conflict could have been avoided had Hamas not rejected then the cease-fire that it accepts now,” Mr. Netanyahu said.
To bolster his argument, Mr. Netanyahu displayed rare video shot by India’s NDTV that showed militants preparing to fire a rocket at Israel from a densely populated area of the Palestinian territory.To bolster his argument, Mr. Netanyahu displayed rare video shot by India’s NDTV that showed militants preparing to fire a rocket at Israel from a densely populated area of the Palestinian territory.
Mr. Netanyahu had a starkly different message for Israelis, meant to reassure the residents of the south, particularly those in communities near the border with Gaza, that they are safer now than before.Mr. Netanyahu had a starkly different message for Israelis, meant to reassure the residents of the south, particularly those in communities near the border with Gaza, that they are safer now than before.
But the military operation — the third major confrontation with Hamas in five years — has left Israelis with lingering questions and a sense that the conflict with Gaza is unfinished.But the military operation — the third major confrontation with Hamas in five years — has left Israelis with lingering questions and a sense that the conflict with Gaza is unfinished.
While the Israeli military says it has destroyed all the 32 tunnels it knew about, many residents fear that some may have been missed or will be swiftly rebuilt. While the Israeli military says it has destroyed all of the 32 tunnels it knew about, many residents fear that some were missed or will be swiftly rebuilt.
Most Israelis appeared to view this latest war as neither a failure nor a success.Most Israelis appeared to view this latest war as neither a failure nor a success.
In a survey for the newspaper Haaretz conducted Tuesday after the onset of the cease-fire, about half of the Israelis surveyed said that neither Israel nor Hamas had won. Nearly six out of 10 said the goals declared by the government of destroying the tunnels and dealing Hamas a harsh blow were only partly achieved.In a survey for the newspaper Haaretz conducted Tuesday after the onset of the cease-fire, about half of the Israelis surveyed said that neither Israel nor Hamas had won. Nearly six out of 10 said the goals declared by the government of destroying the tunnels and dealing Hamas a harsh blow were only partly achieved.
“The bottom line is that I don’t see any solution that promises quiet,” said Avichai Jorno, 34, a resident of Sderot, whose bedroom was wrecked by a rocket from Gaza in the days before Israel began its assault. “There was a war and in the end nothing came of it,” he said, though he acknowledged some gains, like the destruction of the tunnels. “It was a missed opportunity. They could have conquered Gaza.” “The bottom line is that I don’t see any solution that promises quiet,” said Avichai Jorno, 34, a resident of Sderot, whose bedroom was wrecked by a rocket from Gaza in the days before Israel began its assault. “There was a war and, in the end, nothing came of it,” he said, though he acknowledged some gains, like the destruction of the tunnels. “It was a missed opportunity. They could have conquered Gaza.”
“It seems that in two more years there’ll be another war,” he added.“It seems that in two more years there’ll be another war,” he added.
Others, tiring of the repetitive cycle of violence that this time also claimed the lives of 64 Israeli soldiers and three civilians, were asking if there could be a diplomatic way out, with Egypt and the United States involved. Mr. Netanyahu is advocating a formula of rehabilitation in return for demilitarization in Gaza. Hamas is demanding a lifting of the economic blockade of Gaza.Others, tiring of the repetitive cycle of violence that this time also claimed the lives of 64 Israeli soldiers and three civilians, were asking if there could be a diplomatic way out, with Egypt and the United States involved. Mr. Netanyahu is advocating a formula of rehabilitation in return for demilitarization in Gaza. Hamas is demanding a lifting of the economic blockade of Gaza.
“It is not normal to grow up like this,” said Tal Rotem, a musician from the southern city of Beersheba, referring to his four children who are terrified every time a siren wails, warning of an incoming rocket. He urged the reasonable people on each side to listen to each other and talk. “And I sympathize with the children in Gaza, because this is not a way to live,” he said. “It is not normal to grow up like this,” said Tal Rotem, a musician from the southern city of Beersheba, referring to his four children, who are terrified every time a siren wails, warning of an incoming rocket. He urged the reasonable people on each side to listen to one another and talk. “And I sympathize with the children in Gaza, because this is not a way to live,” he said.
Revital Steinberg, a teacher from Ashkelon whose son will soon be drafted for compulsory military service, said that “terms like ‘winning’ and ‘losing’ are subjective and ambiguous.”Revital Steinberg, a teacher from Ashkelon whose son will soon be drafted for compulsory military service, said that “terms like ‘winning’ and ‘losing’ are subjective and ambiguous.”
“It’s not a competition,” Ms. Steinberg said.“It’s not a competition,” Ms. Steinberg said.
“We can always go back to war,” she said. “The question is if there is another way.”“We can always go back to war,” she said. “The question is if there is another way.”