The sumary below is the analysis of the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Israel Intelligence Heritage & Commemoration Center (IICC), an israeli NGO. It's analyis is no doubt ot unbiased, but it says a lot that it tells what the MainStream Media will not tell or will not dwell upon, namely the role of the IDF in ending the 'truce. It seems clear the IICC can not be accused of favouring Hamas...,
Summary
1. On June 17, 2008, after several months of indirect contacts between Israel and Hamas through Egyptian mediators, Egypt and Hamas individually announced that a lull arrangement(tahadiya1) had been reached between Israel and the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and it would go into effect at 0600 hours on the morning of June 19. Israel’s position was that the lull had no time limit. The position of Hamas and the other Palestinian terrorist organizations was that it would remain in force for six months and they then expected it to be extended to Judea and Samaria. Spokesmen of Hamas and other terrorist organizations later stated that it would end on Friday morning, December 19; in the field it had been seriously eroded since November 4.
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4. An analysis of the situation on the ground indicates two distinct periods:
i)A period of relative quiet between June 19 and November 4 : As of June 19,there was a marked reduction in the extent of attacks on the western Negev population. The lull was sporadically violated by rocket and mortar shell fire, carried out by rogue terrorist organizations, in some instance in defiance of Hamas (especially by Fatah and Al-Qaeda supporters). Hamas was careful to maintain the ceasefire. The IDF refrained from undertaking counterterrorism activities in the Gaza Strip, taking only routine defensive security measures along the border fence. Between June 19 and November 4, 20 rockets (three of which fell inside the Gaza Strip) and 18 mortar shells (five of which fell inside the Gaza Strip) were fired at Israel.
ii) The escalation and erosion of the lull arrangement, November 4 to the
time of this writing, December 17
On November 4 the IDF carried out a military
action close to the border security fence on the Gazan side to prevent an abduction
planned by Hamas, which had dug a tunnel under the fence to that purpose. Seven
Hamas terrorist operatives were killed during the action. In retaliation, Hamas and the other terrorist organizations attacked Israel with a massive barrage of rockets. Since then, 191 rockets and 138 mortar shells have been fired. The attacks have been
continuous and some were carried out by weapons not previously used, such as
122mm standard Grad rockets and 120mm mortar shells. Hamas has been directly
involved in the attacks in cooperation with the other terrorist organizations.
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