His soldiers explained that, if it boils down to choosing between their own lives and Palestinian houses, the choice is clear. Lt. Col. Cohen of Givati told Haaretz that, in his view, Hamas is at fault, for having booby-trapping populated buildings.

The IDF’s progress this week was evident mainly in the sector where the regular Paratroops brigade is operating, in northern Gaza City – the place where the forces encountered the toughest resistance. Paratroop officers described the house-to-house searches: Everywhere they turned, they found an opening to a tunnel, a Qassam launcher, an RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) launcher or a booby-trapped door.

The brigade commander is Col. Hertzi Halevy, a former Sayeret Matkal commander. When Halevy, who transferred from the Paratroops to the unit in the early 1990s, returned to the Paratroops as their commander, he was maligned by some for his rigidity and aloofness. This war has highlighted the usefulness of his cool temper and thoughtful leadership. Other brigade commanders have also cemented their leadership in Gaza.

The officers in the field see eye to eye with Military Intelligence officials: Deterrence has been achieved. This is the “Dahiya Doctrine,” which GOC Northern Command Maj. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot spoke of a few months before the war. The destruction in Gaza is reminiscent of what the air force did to Beirut’s Shi’ite Dahiya quarter two and a half years ago. Israel has made it clear that it is capable of inflicting enormous damage if provoked in such a way that it feels compelled to respond.

Read the whole thing. It’s a world of information and fascinating analysis:

The Israeli operation in Gaza was completely disproportional. But though it might not meet the criteria of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, in the tough neighborhood we live in, the message appears to have gotten across. The deterrence that has worked in Lebanon for the past two and a half years, after a failed war, may also work in Gaza, where the results have been completely different, and much better from Israel’s standpoint.

This matches what Israel Network News reports a captured terrorist said:

“Hamas took a gamble. We thought, at worst Israel will come and do something from the air – something superficial. They’ll come in and go out. We never thought that we would reach the point where fear will swallow the heart and the feet will want to flee. You [Israel] are fighting like you fought in ‘48. What got into you all of a sudden?”

It is 1948. World leaders are calling for the end of Israel, for Israel to be thrown out of the UN, and for boycotts and the delegitimization of Israel. Jews all over the world are being threatened. And the Jewish State is fighting for its existence. Hamas isn’t an existential threat? Yes it is. When a terrorist group that has launched thousands of rockets since it took over the Gaza Strip can draw the world’s sympathy instead of its opprobrium, Israel’s existence is at stake. When “protesters” all over the world call Israel an illegitimate state, Israel’s existence is at stake. When Iran rushes on to a nuclear bomb, and the world does nothing—Israel’s existence is at stake.

Hamas’s top political chief says his movement will not accept Israel’s demands for a cease-fire and insists the siege on Gaza must be lifted before Hamas will halt rocket attacks.

Khaled Mashaal has asked a gathering of Arab leaders in the Qatari capital on Friday to back Hamas in its demands, to announce a boycott of Israel and cut off any ties with the Jewish state.

Mashaal says Hamas is sticking by its demands that a border openings into the Gaza Strip must be opened immediately before it will stop rocket attacks.

He says Hamas “will not accept Israel’s conditions” for a cease-fire. Israel has demanded a total halt to Hamas rockets and guarantees Hamas cannot rearm.

The AP can, however, include in its main story the call by the UN Secretary General for a unilateral Israeli cease fire. In fact, it titles that story “UN chief urges unilateral Israeli cease-fire.” Just in case you missed the fact that the world is calling on Israel to cease its fire, but not Hamas. And the AP also make sure that it drops the Israeli reasons for refusal down below the third paragraph, knowing full well that most local papers include only the first three to five paragraphs of an AP wire story in their “World News” sections. Take a look at the first three grafs.

The U.N. chief urged Israel Friday to declare a unilateral cease-fire in Gaza, but Israel rebuffed the idea as its diplomats headed for Egypt and the United States in what appeared to be a final push toward a truce.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon floated the idea during a visit to the West Bank on his Mideast mission to try to stop Israel’s three-week-old offensive against Hamas militants who have been firing rockets from Gaza for years.

“I strongly urge Israeli leadership and government to declare a cease-fire unilaterally,” Ban said from Ramallah, the seat of the West Bank government of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a fierce rival of Hamas. “It’s time to think about a unilateral cease-fire from the Israeli government.”

Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev dismissed the idea.

“I don’t believe that there’s a logical expectation in the international community that Israel unilaterally cease fire while Hamas would continue to target cities, trying to kill our people,” he said.

Interestingly, the AP does not quote Ban on calling on Hamas to cease its fire unilaterally. Nor is there any report of Ban going to Syria to talk to Khaled Mashaal about stopping the rocketing of the Israeli civilian population. Not that I expect him to. The world has never really tried to stop the enemies of the Jews from destroying the Jews, and it never will. That would be why the State of Israel was established.

But the good news is: Hamas’ irredentism is going to allow the IDF to do its job properly this time around. The rockets hit more Israeli civilians today. And they show no signs of stopping. The job isn’t finished.

According to the sources, the two sides are expected to agree on a ceasefire which will likely begin within 72 hours and last up to two weeks.

During this period of time, the parties will discuss the Israel Defense Forces’ withdrawal from Gaza and the withdrawal’s timing. Palestinian sources estimated that the pullback into Israel would be swift.

According to the sources, on the issue of the supervision mechanism it has been agreed that the international forces’ presence would be on the Palestinian side of the Philadelphi route.

If this is true, then Hamas won.

The sources said that the renewed lull will last at least a year, and is expected to last even longer. According to the sources, a “weakened” Hamas will agree to a longer lull in order to recover from the current conflict.

If the agreement is executed, the agreement is expected to provide an answer to the Israeli demands in terms of the smuggling issue, the rocket fire and a serious discussion on the Shalit issue.

Hamas will gain the reopening of the crossings, the removal of the blockade and an official role at the crossings. Abbas will receive renewed access to the Strip, only at the crossings at first, and Egypt will be able to open the Rafah crossing.

That’s everything they asked for. What was the point of the Gaza war, then? To kill a few Hamas terrorists? To make the world hate Israel even more? If this is true, if Israel is lifting the blockade and allowing Hamas to run the crossings, then it truly is the beginning of the end of the State of Israel, because her leaders have lost all heart to defend their nation against the Iranian Islamists. How can the Egyptians stop smuggling if Hamas has a role in the crossings? Why does Israel think that anything will be different when the Philadelphi corridor is controlled by international forces? That’s what happened three years ago. Hamas took it over then, and will take it over now.

Israel is defeated. All I can hope for is that this article is wrong.

Hamas’ interior minister, Said Siam, considered one of the most senior members of the Palestinian group’s leadership, was killed Thursday afternoon in an Israeli air strike on his brother’s home in Gaza City, the Israel Defense Forces said.

I’d give my kitties tuna for the Tuna for Terrorists program, but they already got some for the Gracie Went to the Vet program.

But wait, that’s not all:

The defense establishment said Siam’s brother Ayad and the head of Hamas’ security organization in Gaza, Salah Abu Sharah, were also killed in the strike. Hamas members confirmed that Siam and his brother were killed, but claimed that the third casualty was Siam’s son.

So who was this guy, and what did he do? A lot.

Siam, 50, is the most senior Hamas figure assassinated in Operation Cast Lead so far, and is the most senior Hamas figure killed by Israel since the assassination of Dr. Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi in April 2004.

Siam was the person who built Hamas’ special executive force, which was the main focus of friction and dispute between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas as the Hamas government took power, and he officially led the organization’s takeover of the Gaza Strip.

Israel should refuse a cease fire until they get the rest of the leadership. Of course, they won’t refuse.

According to diplomatic sources in Egypt, Israel gave the ceasefire offered in Cairo a “green light”, just one day after Hamas approved the plan’s principle points.

Gilad is set to brief Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on his the visit.

Sources in Jerusalem said the briefing may yield a decision on whether to approve the Egyptian initiative and a subsequent withdrawal from Gaza, or to continue the offensive in the Strip. The security cabinet is scheduled to debate the decision Friday morning.

Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. The IDF has the chance to do some real damage to Hamas, damage that could be permanent. Hamas is still shelling Israeli cities, and they’re still using long-range missiles. They finally got lucky and hurt a woman and child badly. There’s a picture at the link of the car that got hit. This is what a Grad rocket does. Hamas has many more—the IDF hasn’t destroyed Hamas rocket stockpiles yet.

The only good news about all this is that Hamas has managed to refuse to abide by all cease fires to date. Here’s hoping they do the same, and let the IDF go on about its business.

In the wake of a progressively materializing ceasefire, IDF commanders in Gaza told soldiers Thursday to continue to seek out their targets and destroy them with full force.

[...] Despite reports that Israel was leaning towards accepting the Egyptian ceasefire proposal in Gaza, the army appeared to be stepping up its offensive, and an officer and two soldiers were lightly injured in the operations. They were evacuated to Israel for treatment.

Too bad the IDF can’t go into the basement of the Shifa Hospital, where most senior Hamasniks are hiding. Or in tunnels, like rats in sewers. And sometimes, in their own homes. Where the IDF can get them. That was good intel. May the Gazans continue to inform on the leadership that brought this war on them.

For instance, the anchor says that Israel was using white phosphorous shells. Mark Regev denies this, points out that the ICRC has documented that Israel is not using white phosphorous illegally, and that Hamas fired a white phosphorous shell at Israel. The anchor then says, “But only Israel is firing white phosphorous shells” immediately after Regev just told him Hamas is firing them.

Barak told Ban that “Hamas was using Palestinian civilians as human shields and is opening fire at IDF forces from areas that are adjacent to UN facilities.

Not that it will make a difference.

Muhammad Nazal, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, told al-Jazeera, “We have not accepted the Egyptian ceasefire initiative, but we have not rejected it either. We presented our reservations about the proposal and if they are not taken into account – we cannot accept it.”

Nazal said that in his opinion “the talk of progress only exists in the media,” and stressed that “Hamas is unwilling to agree on a permanent ceasefire because the significance of this would be to halt the resistance.”

Good. Because the job isn’t finished.

IDF officers testified to the destruction in Gaza. Staff-Sergeant Oron Pinto said Hamas operatives “are running away, afraid to fight us face to face or have any contact with us.”

Sergeant Avi Aschal said the damage “may be excessive”, but that Hamas could only blame itself. “They booby trapped all of the houses and the yards and even their own explosive devices. For me it’s a simple dilemma: Either my soldiers or their buildings, and you can see for yourselves what the answer is.”

However, according to assessments Hamas is still far from the obliteration many had hoped for. GOC Southern Command Yoav Galant heard from various brigade commanders leading the offensive, who told him their troops were motivated and willing to continue the operation.

This is one case where Hamas’ intransigence is actually working for Israel.

An Iranian aid ship tried to break the blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip for the second time Wednesday. Israel Defense Forces sources confirmed that Navy ships contacted the boat’s crew and ordered them to turn back.

Funny, the AP report doesn’t include this information at all:

The boat was making its way to Gaza through the Suez Canal. It docked at Egypt’s Port Said on Tuesday evening and the crew attempted to unload the goods on the deck, but the Egyptians turned them down. The ship then continued towards Gaza.

But the AP does spin this anti-Israel in the lead. It takes as fact the Iranian state claims that there are only “humanitarian” supplies on this ship. Uh-huh. Wonder how many Fajr missiles you can hide in a 2,000 ton cargo?

The Israeli navy intercepted an Iranian ship loaded with medicine, food and clothing destined for Gaza and forced the vessel to Egypt instead, Iran’s state television reported Wednesday.

Meanwhile, in a gesture of support with the Palestinians in Gaza, Iran’s top leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a religious opinion, or fatwa, declaring the purchase of any Israeli goods or trade with Israeli companies to be forbidden.

Israel’s offensive in Gaza, which Palestinian medical officials say has killed more than 940 Palestinians since Dec. 27, has sparked outrage in Iran and throughout the Muslim world. Israel has said it launched its campaign to stop rocket fire aimed at civilians in southern Israeli towns by the militant group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip. Iran is Hamas’ main backer, providing it political and financial support, though Tehran denies sending the organization weapons.

Right. Tehran denies it, but there is ample proof that the terrorists in Gaza use Iranian-supplied weapons to kill Israelis.

The Egyptians deny the Iranians permission to unload the cargo, but it’s Israel that’s keeping “humanitarian equipment” out of Gaza. It’s a war zone.

Israeli military officials said the ship was prevented from reaching Gaza as part of a general naval blockade meant to prevent weapons smuggling, and not due to the boat’s Iranian origins.

All right, someone’s lying there. Let’s face it. No way an Iranian ship will ever get Israeli permission to land in Gaza. Nor should it.

Abu Marzook: Hamas has held the same position since Israel’s aggression began. We have three conditions for any peace initiative coming from any state. First of all, the aggression of the Israelis should stop. All of the [border crossings] should be opened, including the gate of Rafah between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. Finally, Israel has to withdraw from the Gaza strip. We are not saying we will stop firing rockets from the Gaza strip to Israel. We are only talking about stopping the aggression from the Israelis against the civilian population in the Gaza Strip.

When others talk about a cease-fire, they are saying all military operations should stop. But we are sending a message [by firing rockets, which is:] “We will not surrender. We have to fight the Israelis and we will win this battle.” We know we are going to lose a lot of people from our side, but we are going to win inshallah [God willing].

If that name sounds familiar to you, it’s because the Los Angeles Times let Marzook use their op-ed page to present his lies that Hamas is an organization that Israel simply refuses to treat with. Seven days ago, Marzook wrote this:

The truce failed because Israel will not open Gaza’s borders, because Israel would rather be a jailer than a neighbor, and because its intransigent leadership forestalls Palestinian destiny and will not make peace with history.

Yesterday, he said this:

We are not saying we will stop firing rockets from the Gaza strip to Israel. We are only talking about stopping the aggression from the Israelis against the civilian population in the Gaza Strip.

Funny how the world manages to turn its eyes away from those facts.

“We are all Hamas.” That incredibly stupid slogan needs to be changed. The next time you hear it chanted, substitute “We are all stupid for supporting a terrorist, rejectionist organization” and you’ll be closer to the truth.

Lt.-Col. Cohen has good reasons to want his soldiers to focus on the enemy. In one of the recent days a battalion force encountered three terrorists emerging from a tunnel.

“We responded immediately and caused the tunnel to collapse over them,” he says. “No one was injured from the sniper fire. There was also a suicide bomber on a motorcycle, who disappeared into a house’s backyard. We encircled the house and hit him from afar.”

The IDF is doing well in every matchup with Hamas. Hamas wants to kill Israeli soldiers from afar, as they claim Israel is doing to them. And yet, there is video of close fighting at Elder of Ziyon’s blog that must be seen to be believed. Proof positive that the IDF is using human shields. Think Amnesty will get them on this one? (Really. Click the link. You’ll be glad you did.)

Hamas’ Iranian-trained fighters are no match for the IDF. That’s why they want to lure the IDF into the thicket of the inner city, where they think they have all the advantage. They do have some advantages, but not all.

Cohen has no hesitations in regards to the significant force used, the outcomes of which are seen on the ruined Palestinian homes on the sides of the roads.

“We saw house bombs here, houses booby-trapped from the inside or houses where the gas pipe was left open and all openings were sealed so that they blow up on us as we enter,” he explains. “Those who booby-trap houses should not be surprised when we detonate them from afar in order to protect our soldiers’ lives.”

As he stands on the balcony of a house, Cohen points south. “We saw them launching rockets and mortar shells from inside. When we entered the school itself, we found a weapons storeroom there. We let the civilians leave and made sure that no one hurts them.”

And Hamas is calling children to protect them from the IDF. The brave, brave mujahadeen of Hamas need children to protect them.

Despicable.

Hamas is damaged, but reluctant to concede to a ceasefire, intelligence leaders reported Sunday. The IDF’s head of intelligence and Shin Bet chief said the terror organization’s capabilities have been significantly reduced, but the organization may still launch a harsh response.

“Hamas is crying stop. They are dying to respond to the blow they received and recover from their lack of operative successes in the field. On the other hand, they don’t want to wave the white flag,” Major-General Amos Yadlin said in a press conference.

The brave mujahadeen who taunted the IDF much prefer hitting from afar.

“They didn’t expect our response (to rocket fire) or a ground invasion. The reduction in rocket fire derives from a reduction in ammunition. The ground offensive decreased Hamas capabilities. Their operatives evade friction with our forces and prefer remote controlled operations from a distance,” he explained.

They’re using civilians as cannon fodder, and stealing from humanitarian relief supplies—something the mainstream media always seems to miss.

Yadlin also demonstrated, using a number of intelligence videos, that Hamas continued to use civilians and civilian infrastructure as a shield. For example, intelligence photographs showed a booby-trapped school, with explosives in every classroom.

In a similar indictment of Hamas’ egregious treatment of Gaza civilians, Cabinet Secretary Oved Yehezkel made mention of Hamas’ looting of humanitarian trucks, saying that the aid was being stored in Hamas warehouses and distributed selectively only to Hamas members.

The civilians of Gaza may finally have had enough of Hamas.

Shin Bet Chief Yuval Diskin noted both of these phenomena. But, he said, Gaza citizens may have begun to protest. “There is clear evidence of Gaza residents refusing to have rocket launchers placed next to their homes.

This, as well as the deliberate execution of Fatah operatives under the cover of fire, suggests that Gaza residents are beginning to rethink their leadership. “Hamas is the target of criticism that they caused a tragedy in Gaza,” he said.

We’ll see.