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Israel and Hamas Agree to a Cease-Fire, After a U.S.-Egypt Push



Tyler Hicks/The New York Times

By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK and JODI RUDOREN
Published: November 21, 2012 1285 CommentsCAIRO — Under intense Egyptian and American pressure, Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas halted eight days of bloody conflict on Wednesday, averting a full-scale Israeli ground invasion of the Gaza Strip without resolving the underlying disputes.

Wissam Nassar for The New York Times

Gazans poured into the streets declaring victory against the far more powerful Israeli military. In Israel, the public reaction was far more subdued. Many residents in the south expressed doubt that the agreement would hold, partly because at least five Palestinian rockets thudded into southern Israel after the cease-fire began.

Tyler Hicks/The New York Times

Wissam Nassar for The New York Times

There were immediate questions about the durability of the deal. Hamas, which controls Gaza, has in the past not fulfilled less formal cease-fires by failing to halt all missile fire into Israel by breakaway Palestinian militants.

Andrea Bruce for The New York Times

Dan Balilty/Associated Press

Khaled Meshal, Hamas’s top leader, thanked Iran for its military support in a triumphal news conference in Cairo. “This is a point on the way to a great defeat for Israel,” he said. “Israel failed in all its objectives.”

Baz Ratner/Reuters

Although the memorandum of understanding did not clarify how Gaza’s borders might be opened, Egyptians, Israelis and Americans briefed on the talks said that Egypt had broached the possibility of expanding the traffic of people and goods at Rafah. Egypt has historically resisted a broader opening of the crossing, and Israel enforces its embargo on the other sides of Gaza, fearing that it would face an influx of refugees or end up with responsibility for the impoverished enclave.

Israel also fears that an open border crossing would become a conduit for weapons.

Dan Balilty/Associated PressIt seemed to be the fighting's first direct reach into Tel Aviv's streets.

Read more:http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/22/world/middleeast/israel-gaza-conflict.html?pagewanted=2&_r=0&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1353553521-4FYG8jUqgiVXreJNvgWheg


I hope that we have truly been an ally to Israel in this and that her security is at least temporarily enhanced. I hope we have not help back Israel into a corner. I pray we haven't shown terrorists and/or extremists that we have a "tell" or a tendency to retreat. Time will tell. But some of the same folks that applaud every defeat of Israel and hardly any more friendly about success for the United States. Hopefully, by the time you read this peace will still be in effect. I pray that ... you know I don't even know what to pray for.