Late Thursday Night, After 12 Days of an intensive Military Air Campaign in Gaza, Israel Agreed to a Ceasefire. The ceasefire was the outcome of an Egyptian initiative which PM Netanyahu agreed to adopt unilaterally. Israel claims it met all their objectives for this operation, Hamas also claimed achievements. Hamas officials announced that they achieved some agreements from Israel for the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the eviction of Palestinian families in Sheik Jarrah, which Israel denies.
The second week of the military campaign was characterized by the destruction of high rise buildings in Gaza by Israel and the heavy shelling of cities and towns in Israel by Hamas. Luckily Israel is equipped with an advanced missile defense system, Iron Dome, that can intercept the majority of rockets and destroy them before they land and explode. This is the reason that Israel has so few casualties despite the heavy shelling and rocket fire from Gaza. Nonetheless two thirds of the country was under a severe emergency situation. All schools and businesses were closed, and the economic loss is considerably costly.
On the other hand, in Gaza the destruction is overwhelming. Many high rise buildings were destroyed due to claims by Israel that they hosted Hamas operators or were used as bases to launch rockets. One of those buildings that was destroyed caught international attention. In the building were the offices of AP News (Associated Press) and the offices of Al Jazeera News. Israeli forces pre-announced that they were about to bomb the building, claiming that it housed the offices of Hamas intelligence. Associated Press workers had only an hour to try to save their equipment. The AP CEO and senior American officials demanded that Israel provide proof of the Hamas intelligence presence in the building. The proof has not, as yet, been provided.
“Wall Keeper” Operation – Casualties in Gaza and Israel: According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, 230 people were killed by the IDF airstrikes in the past 10 days, sixty five of them were children. Severe damage was caused to public buildings, as well as the water, electricity, sewage, and health infrastructure, including Gaza’s only COVID-19 testing lab. Thirteen people were killed in Israel by Hamas rockets, including three migrant workers, a father and daughter from an unrecognized Arab village near Lod, a 6-year-old boy, and one soldier on active duty who was hit by an anti-tank missile.
While the US administration and several European countries stated that they support Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas, many Arab countries and others in the international community criticized Israel for the killing of innocent civilians, and for opting for a “collateral damage” approach, rather then refraining from bombing densely populated areas from the air. Israel, in response, claims that Hamas should be held accountable for firing rockets from within densely populated neighborhoods and de facto using civilians as human shields. As the operation progressed, and images of devastation in Gaza continued to call for international attention, the US administration made it clear that it expected Israel to end the operation.
Ceasefire Between Israel And Hamas Takes Effect Today (Friday) Morning: Following considerable international pressure on Israel, and with Egypt serving as mediator, the current military conflict may come to an end, or at least a pause. In Israel, analysts are discussing the results of the Wall Keeper operation, mostly claiming that it failed to attain its stated goals which included eliminating prominent Hamas leaders Deif and Sinwar, destroying Hamas’s rocket launch locations, and achieving considerable deterrence. While right-wing politicians and pundits called for the continuation of the operation until it fully achieves its goals, others, on the center and left spoke of the limitations of military operations to achieve lasting quiet, and that peace negotiations should resume.
Tensions Continue in Mixed Cities Following Violent Clashes Between Arabs And Jews: The Chief of Police came under heavy fire from right wing political leaders, after stating that the riots in Israel’s mixed cities were caused by “terrorists on both sides”. This, while Arab members of Knesset and news show guest speakers were constantly condemning violence and damage to Jewish properties and synagogues. A Jewish man, a resident of the mixed city of Lod, victim of a lynch by Arab rioters, died of his wounds earlier this week. His family donated his organs which were implanted in both Jewish and Arab patients. The police indicted three Jewish men for leading the lynch on an Arab man in the City of Bat Yam, near Tel Aviv. A total of 170 indictments were filed so far by the police, 15 of them against Jews. Yet, while violence was raging in the streets, a growing number of local and national reconciliation initiatives and vigils were organized, and corporate, religious and local governance leaders called for peaceful coexistence.
Severe attacks on the media were reported. At least 20 journalists and TV crews were attacked by Jewish mobs while covering the events. Four senior journalists from Channel 12 News had to hire body guards due to tangible threats which started on social media.
On the Political Front - There is Still No Breakthrough. The chances of forming a coalition of the “camp of change” led by Yair Lapid from Yesh-Atid is still not in sight. In a few days his mandate to do so will expire and a fifth round of Israeli general elections becomes that much closer. Since the launch of the Wall Keeper operation in Gaza, a growing number of political leaders and analysts suggested that Netanyahu launched the operation to sabotage the establishment of a government led by Lapid of Yesh Atid, along with right, center and left Jewish parties, and possible support of one or more of the Arab parties. The creation of such a coalition will mean that Netanyahu loses his position as PM.
For further reading:
Gaza: Here, here, here , here,
Ceasefire: Here, here, here, here, here
Attacks on Journalists: here,