Israel, Hamas Make U-turn on the Precipice With Gaza Cease-fire

Israeli airstrike on Gaza

Amos Harel writes in Haaretz, “A death of an IDF soldier on the Gaza border, for the first time in four years; the bombing of Hamas outposts and battalion headquarters; and threatening announcements by politicians on breaking news television segments – all these seem like the early signs of a large-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip. But the operation is not upon us yet. One fact that attests to this is the speed in which the Palestinians accepted the Egyptian and UN cease-fire offers at midnight Friday. Signs that an operation is not imminent were also evident in the nature of the military actions by both sides. Israel did bomb Hamas battalion headquarters, but was careful not to target senior Hamas officials. Hamas refrained from firing rockets deep into Israel even after coming under fire. The result is a U-turn on the precipice – war was avoided, perhaps just for the time being. ”

military observation post in Gaza damaged by Israel airstrike

“The incident on the border fence Friday seems to be connected to events a day earlier: On Thursday, the Israeli army fired at a group of Palestinians launching incendiary kites near a Hamas position on the border, in the southern Gaza Strip. A Hamas military wing member was killed. The military wing threatened revenge. On Friday, during protests east of Khan Younis, a Palestinian sniper shot an IDF soldier near the border. The soldier died of his wounds (his name has yet to be released).”

“And yet there were unusual elements to the incident that may point to a local Palestinian initiative that did not necessarily receive a green light from the top. The shooting took place while Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh took part in one of the protests on the fence nearby. Usually, Hamas leaders seek to keep their distance from such incidents. Hamas positions overlooking the location were not evacuated, and when the IDF responded with tank shells at eight Hamas posts, four military wing members were killed. ”

“The Israeli soldier is the first Israeli killed on the Gaza border since the end of the 2014 Gaza war. After the incident, in consultations held with the prime minister, the minister of defense and senior IDF and Shin Bet officials, an unusually strong response was approved. The Israel Air Force destroyed three Hamas military wing battalion headquarters. This time it wasn’t a limited, selective bombing, and Hamas commanders could not just move an office – the entire headquarters was obliterated. And yet, the time passed between the shooting and the IDF response allowed Hamas to abandon its headquarters. Israel also refrained from a further escalation for now – targeted assassinations of senior Hamas officials.” (more…)