Message #3862

[Genichiro]

JERUSALEM ? A diplomatic push to end Israel's nearly weeklong offensive in the Gaza Strip gained momentum Tuesday, with Egypt's president predicting that airstrikes would soon end, the U.S. secretary of state racing to the region and Israel's prime minister saying his country would be a "willing partner" to a cease-fire with the Islamic militant group Hamas.

As international diplomats worked to cement a deal, senior Hamas officials said some sticking points remained even as relentless airstrikes and rocket attacks between the two sides continued. The Israeli death toll rose to five with the deaths Tuesday of an Israeli soldier and a civilian contractor. More than 130 Palestinians have been killed.

Full article here

Seeing the push for a cease-fire continue is a good sign. Hamas and Israel may still be differing in their opinions, and the attacks are still continuing, but at least they are both at the bargaining table, rather than running away from a diplomatic solution and increasing use of military force. If they can come to an agreement and put and end to this before it gets out of hand, then it's all for the better. I agree with the Obama Administration that Israel has a right to defend itself, and that a ground invasion would raise the death toll needlessly. If both sides can come to an agreement by the end of the day tomorrow, then this can end at the one week mark, and hopefully bring some stability back to the region for the time being.