Another Gaza conflict on the looming

Provocative attacks and blockade on Gaza Strip continue to take place even after the end of the Israeli imposed war there two years ago. In an effort to starve the Palestinians in Gaza since Hamas takeover of the territory, Israel obstructs all international efforts to supply humanitarian aid to its population.

Last week Israel killed several Hamas members in the most violent attacks since the end of the war. In retaliation to the attacks, Hamas fired mortars and rockets into southern Israel.

There has been no effort to get both parties sign a lasting peace and the unilateral ceasefire declared in January 2009 may not hold on in the days ahead if Israeli military continues its incursions on Hamas territory.    

Hamas has used the ceasefire to regroup, rearm and recover from infrastructural damage they suffered during the Israeli onslaught on Gaza. Hamas has accumulated the Russian made Kornet, a laser guided missile able to penetrate the Israeli Merkava tanks. Merkava – one of the most advanced Israeli terror weapons have now been equipped with active protection system which intercepts and destroys incoming missiles. Israel has deployed its first Merkava Mark IV battalion along the Gaza border in December 2010.     

Izzaddin al-Qassam, the military wing of Hamas admits that they have accumulated a huge arsenal of weapons to ensure that severe damages are inflicted on the Israeli military in the approaching conflict.   

For the time being neither Hamas nor Israel want to see an escalation of violence because of the uncertainty of its outcome. Israel was unable to achieve any of its planned objectives in the January 2009 military confrontation with Hamas fighters in Gaza.

The current rocket attacks into Israel are not carried out by Hamas but some smaller Salafi groups wanting to see a head-on military confrontation with Israel. These so called Salafi fighters are most probably backed by the Saudi regime that conspires to annihilate Hamas resistant movement against Israel. Hamas has no other choice but to crackdown on them to prevent all unauthorised military operations within their territory. 

Hamas, the Islamic resistance movement has declared they will abide by the unofficial ceasefire as long as Israel does but it seems both the warring parties are gearing up for a new conflict.  

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Written by:Ibrahim Nazim
30 December 2010, Thursday
24 Muharram 1432