Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists are reportedly prepared to accept an Israeli surrender that would bring an end to IDF attacks on the Gaza Strip while leaving the terror groups with the ability to attack Israeli civilians at will.
According to a report by Agence France Presse and quoted by the Hebrew-language Ynet news website, the current proposal, tabled by Egypt, calls for a “temporary ceasefire during which the border crossings will open and aid supplies to help rehabilitate the Strip would be imported.
Foreign media have reported more than 4,000 rocket attacks from Gaza to Israel since the current round of fighting began in June, during Israel’s unprecedented manhunt following the abduction of Eyal Yifrah, Gil-Ad Sha’ar and Naftali Fraenkel. Since Operation Protective Edge began in early July, Israel has launched nearly 8,000 counter attacks. Sixty-eight Israelis, mostly IDF soldiers, and more than 2,100 Palestinians have died in the counter-strikes, the vast majority of whom have been illegal combatants associated with the Hamas organization, with some individual representation from Islamic Jihad and Fatah terrorists.
The report cited Palestinian sources, who said Israel should agree to a complete opening of the border crossings between Israel and Gaza for the passage of people and merchandise, allowing for the immediate start of the Strip’s rehabilitation. No indication was given about whether the Palestinians would accept restrictions on the import of weapons, Israeli demands to address anti-Israel incitement in Arab society as tunnelling materials or other materials associated with attacking Israeli civilians.