Hamas Choose Rockets and Death Over Peace in Gaza

Until that changes there will be no peace in Palestine!

So far, the 72 hour cease fire between the Israelis and Hamas seems to beholding. Unlike prior cease fires that Hamas violated almost immediately. Perhaps Hamas has finally had enough, though I doubt it. Israel traded land for peace and ended it's occupation of Gaza years ago (yet you won't hear the handwringers on the left acknowledge that fact). Instead of peace, they got a never ending rain of rockets.

Hours before the ceasefire took effect Hamas soldiers were still at it. Here, a rare video from Indian television shows a Hamas fighter setting up and firing a rocket from a residential and hotel district in Gaza putting civilians at risk:

I hope the reporter who filmed that has left the scene as punishment for showing Hamas offensive acts is death. Reporters are only permitted to cover the dead bodies of women and children in Gaza.

Here's another image showing Hamas rockets launching from a residential neighborhood:

Another map showing the distribution of Hamas rocket sites:

French television also has a report showing rocket launchers in residential neighborhoods.

Hamas apologists pretend that Gaza is so overpopulated that there's little open space from which to launch rockets. Of course that seems to excuse the fact that launching rockets is a totally offensive, not defensive, act. Second, the argument is false. There is plenty of open land in Gaza (1,2). Hamas chooses to launch rockets from populated areas because it offers the best cover for their fighters regardless of the clear risk to civilians. How do you negotiate with people who behave that way?

I don't hold out much hope that new talks in Cairo will bring this sad cycle to an end. Until Hamas is willing to cease offensive rocket and other attacks the cycle will continue. And Hamas will bear the blame for any new Israeli counterstrike!