Well Israel has declared a unilateral cease fire:
In accordance with the cabinet’s decision to accept the Egyptian proposal and the announcement of a unilateral ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the IDF is currently taking the necessary measures to implement the decision.
The cabinet’s decision was made after the IDF achieved the objectives it set for Operation Cast Lead, chiefly dealing the Hamas terror organization a heavy blow to its infrastructure, weaponry stockpiles, rocket launching program and its terror operatives.
As the decision goes into effect, the commander of the operation, GOC Southern Command Maj. Gen. Yoav Galant, will order the redeployment of IDF forces within the Gaza Strip in accordance with security assessments. Furthermore, the forces will be briefed on the specifics of the ceasefire rules of engagement.
The IDF emphasizes that its forces will respond to any attack against Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers, and that any such attack will be met with a harsh response. The IDF stresses that the current Home Front Command safety instructions to residents of southern Israel remain in effect in light of the possibility that the rocket fire will continue as Hamas cynically seeks to “have the last word.”
And Hamas has its answer:
“We the Palestinian resistance factions declare a cease-fire from our side in Gaza and we confirm our stance that the enemy’s troops must withdraw from Gaza within a week,” said Damascus-based Hamas official Moussa Abu Marzouk.
Ayman Taha, a Hamas official in Cairo for talks with Egypt on a truce deal,
demanded that Israel open all of Gaza’sw border crossings to allow in food and other goods to meet the “basic needs for our people.”
Hamas still seems to have fired 8 rockets at Israel since their cease fire, but I suppose it depends on the meaning of the words “cease” and “fire”. Deutsche Weld says 18.
The Muqata and israellycool are going to continue to liveblog just to play it safe.
Public opinion in Israel doesn’t like it they seem to want the job finished, and it looks like from this post at the Muqata this will likely have to be done again:
12:19 PM Ashdod Port: Customs seized shipment of humanitarian aid to Gaza, found to be full of weapons, and warfare related electronics.
It is now up to the Palestinians are they going to stop the rockets or are they going to go through all of this again. That is when we will know if the war is actually over or not. It also remains to be seen if Israel is going to be willing to go back in during an Obama administration.
It may have already happened, but if it hasn’t yet I predict that someone will credit Obama with the cease fire, it will be the Obama effect as the world suddenly becomes wonderful.
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