Both Israel and Hamas declare victory - How is that possible?

[Banano]

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/world/ ... 66461.html

Hamas leaders and thousands of flag-waving supporters declared victory over Israel on Gaza's first day of calm under an Egyptian-brokered truce Thursday, as Israeli officials flew to Cairo for talks on easing a blockade on the Palestinian territory.

Eight days of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza and a barrage of Hamas rocket fire on Israel ended inconclusively. While Israel said it inflicted heavy damage on the militants, Gaza's Hamas rulers claimed Israel's decision not to send in ground troops, as it had four years ago, was a sign of a new deterrent power.

"Resistance fighters changed the rules of the game with the occupation (Israel), upset its calculations," Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, who attended the rally, said later in a televised speech. "The option of invading Gaza after this victory is gone and will never return."

At the same time, Haniyeh urged Gaza fighters to respect the truce and to "guard this deal as long as Israel respects it."

The mood in Israel was mixed. Some were grateful quiet had been restored without a ground operation that could have cost the lives of more soldiers. Others -- particularly those in southern Israel hit by rockets over the past 13 years -- thought the operation was abandoned too quickly.

Thousands of Israeli soldiers who had been sent to the border during the fighting withdrew Thursday, the military said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the offensive's aims of halting Gaza rocket fire and weakening Hamas were achieved.

"I know there are citizens who were expecting a harsher response," he said, adding Israel is prepared to act if the ceasefire is violated.

In a development that could complicate co-operation on the ceasefire, Israel on Thursday arrested an Arab-Israeli man connected to Hamas and Islamic Jihad on accusations he planted a bomb on a bus in Tel Aviv that wounded 27 people in the hours before the agreement was announced Wednesday, police said.

A Palestinian militant cell based in the West Bank village of Beit Lakiya dispatched the man, who lived in the village of Taybeh in Israel, to put a bomb on the bus, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. He then got off and called his handlers, who remotely detonated the explosive by calling the phone, Rosenfeld said.

"He admitted to carrying out the terrorist attack," said Rosenfeld.

Attacks by Israeli Arabs are rare, though they have happened.

Nevertheless, the ceasefire raised hopes of a new era between Israel and Hamas.

A senior Israeli official and three aides arrived in Cairo late Thursday and were escorted to Egypt's intelligence headquarters, according to Egyptian airport officials, presumably to hammer out the details of a deal that would include easing a blockade of the territory.

-- The Associated Press


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This is what i find baffling

How can HAMAS claim victory, they lost more than 160 people(ciilians and militants), their Iranin made rockets didnt hit any target inside Israel as Iron Dome performed superbly, Israel hit many targets inside GAza ,Jews killed HAMAS arm wing leader.

Whats logic behind these claims when its obvious that hamas got hammered over the past week and israel is unscratched


Why Palestinians dont value their lives as Israelis do theirs, If israel lost 160 people that would be catastrophy
I know they trying to boost moral of people but common this is no brainer, people are not that brainwashed not to see that HAMAS got f***ed right up the ass

[tom]

Even if Israel did go in for some ground action Hamas would have declared victory. In fact as this ongoing war is being conducted Gaza will declare victory regardless of the outcome. This battle is far from over. in this latest fight the kill ratio was 50 to 1 in Israel's favor.

The fundamentals of this are the women in Gaza are cranking out large numbers of children. Gaza is a small strip of land with an exponentially rising population numbers and its under a blockade. This is a classic r-type vs K-type civilization showdown. Israels current policy is only postponing a war. As long a this war goes on Gaza will find better ways to fight.

Israel's current policy will not stop Gaza's exponential population rise or stop them from blaming Israel for all there problems.

The solution, let Gaza go to war, its what they want to do so why not give them this freedom.
One way to do this is completely open the boarder with Egypt. It will allow an exit for the excess population and the arms Gaza needs to fight there war with Israel. Now Israel can kill off large numbers of Hamas. Hamas will have the freedom to try to eliminate Israel.

One more thing most Arabs are not trying to wipe out Israel. Although it makes good politics to blame Israel for what ever problem is at hand.

[zboy1]

Israel is a terrorist nation. Stop giving aid to the country--you stupid U.S. politicians! And stop sucking up to Jews and their lobby like their own you...oh wait, they do own the U.S. government pretty much, never mind.

[zacb]

Aren't they both working for the same people anyways?