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Citing Israeli intelligence officials, the New York Times said the military wing of Hamas has been hit "to a certain extent" with "a few hundred" fighters killed during the ground offensive that began midway through the war.
Hamas, however, is still able to launch 20 to 30 rockets a day, including 5 to 10 missiles of ranges longer than 20 kilometres, though the number has gone down by a third from the start of the war, the officials were quoted as saying.
The comments, said the New York Times, reflected a view among some Israeli officials that any lasting solution to the conflict would require either a breakthrough diplomatic accord that heavily restricts Hamas's military abilities or a deeper ground assault into urban areas of Gaza, known as a possible "Phase Three" of the war.
The situation has been complicated by differences within Hamas, with those in Gaza preferring a ceasefire but their sponsors outside opposing it, the paper said, citing Egyptian officials.
The Israeli intelligence officials told the paper that there were some signs that the military assault had undermined Hamas's political cohesion, and that Hamas's leaders in hiding inside Gaza were more eager for a ceasefire than group leaders in exile.
They described this assessment as based on hard intelligence, presumably telephone intercepts, the paper said. A senior Egyptian official in Cairo was quoted as saying separately on Tuesday that representatives of Hamas had disagreed openly when participating in continuing Egyptian efforts to broker a ceasefire.
Greater damage, they said, has been done to Hamas's capacity to run Gaza, with a large number of government buildings destroyed over the course of the operation.
In Egypt, efforts to broker a ceasefire were complicated by bickering inside Hamas, Egyptian official said, adding that Hamas representatives in Gaza were eager for a ceasefire, but were being blocked because political decisions were being made by the group's leadership in Damascus, Syria.
"Hamas is in a very difficult position," the Egyptian official told the paper. "On the ground, their militants are not doing as good a job, not matching their rhetoric. But politically, they have been totally taken over by their sponsors."
"The guys inside are holding their ground, but they don't want to continue the confrontation," the official said.
Egypt talks to Hamas but is not eager to see the radical Islamic group running a small statelet next door, Times said.
Israeli officials were quoted as saying that they were delaying any expansion of the war until the negotiations succeeded or failed. But journalists and photographers along the Israeli border with Gaza said they saw large numbers of Israeli reservists moving into the territory, suggesting preparation for an intensified phase of the conflict, the Times reported.
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India and Pakistan should take lessons from this war, because outfits of the likes of LeT, Al-Qaida, RAA, VHP, Bajrang Dal etc. are photo copies of Hamas etc. The aim is to mix religion and politics and rule like fools.
Hamas must be finised to the logical end. They are no good to their own people . The mis adventure by them has brought agony to the people of Gaza . They are equally responsible for this humanitarian crisis . Hamaz is neither good adminstrators nor good fighters and rhetorics will not help a population who need real assistance
No way Mr Mullah Omar. The terrorist organisation Hamas will be wiped out soon from the face of this earth. India - ISrael collaboration is a must to destroy terroist netwroks n terrorist symptahisers like u
Western media has always lied and only speak for either West or its allies and the same is true in this propaganda fledge against Hamas. The world has to correct itself first and stop calling Hamas a terror outfits as if we call it terror outfit then all those movement which were fought for freedom were also the terror movements. Hamas is fighting to get its land back from occupier Israel which has usurped it with the help of greatest terrrorist USA. However, it is surprising that US which is advocates the decomocracy is not doing anything for the autocratice regimes in West Asia such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordon, Kuwait, Oman, UAE, etc. and supporting these suppressive regimes whereas the it opposes Hamas which was democractically elected regime. Israel can never be able to win peace by waging thousands of such wars and these wars will bring more destruction to Israel and in the process Israel will be suffocated and wiped out from the map for its own wrong doings.
Israel an occupier, man...you guys are hell bent on falsyfing History now, what about the lands of the jews spread out from Palestine to Egypt to Europe.Learn History for a change and you will realize who is the aggressor....Some people never learn
Jignesh, quiet understandably being a Gujju, you got this version of history thru your state education system! Let me enlighten you - The state of Israel was born in 1948 after annexing lands of Arabs. 99% of Jews in Israel are imported. They do not, even remotely, look like people of the land. Even today, they are expanding their hold by importing/resettling Jews from the world over. If the white-skinned folks (Americans/Europeans) have so much sympathy for Jews (they are the ones who decimated them in the first place!) why don't they settle them in Europe or US? There is plenty of land there. They are doing the same to Arabs what Hitler did to them. It is really ironical that the persecuted have become persecutors. It is a colossal shame that they are killing small children,women and elderly in the guise of fighting terrorism. Regarding Hamas showering rockets on them, how many Jews have really been killed by them so far? Is this retaliation justified? Every person they kill, gives rise to 10 more "thugs" (thats the word Bush used for them; according to him his soldiers who plundered Iraq are saints!).
Sundeep...I am not talking here about the Republic of Israel created in 1948, I am talking the very Jewish lands stretching from Palestine to Egypt. Traditionally, these were their lands. I think you ought to read some about Jewish history and you will realize how they have been persecuted. If you cant, please do not advice me on it.
Mr Jagdish, the Jews were never their in Palestine even before the emergence of Islam and wherever they were in Arab world, they were in few numbers and still are living without any aparthied and Iran is one of the example that how better the Jews are there? Yes, Jews were living in Europe who have been forced out by the West (nowadays savior of democracy)and were settled down in Palestine and the people of Palestine welcomed them with open hands and hearts, however, these Jews forced Palestinians to flee and made them refugees. Further, people like you who always find some happiness and consolance protecting Israel but you people have forgetten that Billions of Rupees are brought into India from Arab world and not from Israel and the Arabs are providing lot of job opportunities to Indians thereby contributing in its economic development whereas Israel is not doing anything except for providing some weapons which actually have completely failed even to defend our borders. Remember, Israel will be defeated someday and that day is not far away as Hezbollah has defeated Israel in 2006 and in the similar fashion Palestinians will rise and suffocate Israel and surely it will be wiped out from the map. Blood of innocent Palestinians and other muslims will not go vain and the aggressor will be punished in its own language- the war.
yes, SomeIndians dont know that, Weare not doing enough economic transactions with israel and that we should increase it to level it with theARABS.!
I am not at all shocked at your response. You cannot and will not understand history. re. your comment regarding Arab states providing employment to Indians and remittances. This is so much nonsense. You work anywhere in the world, you get paid. Its simple. Arab nations ( especially the OIL producing ones) would be good only if they disband that criminal oil cartel called OPEC and not try and control the world by price hikes at any given point. It is this OIL money which is funneling terror activities all over the world. Hasan Abidi, get your facts straight. You dont clap with one hand...Its pointless arguing with you.
The action by israel is the right action it is right to kill muslims. they are like the germs to peace like bacteria if you dont destroy them they would destroy you
Mr Sandeep, Muslims will survive inspite of all atrocities inflicted on them. However, I'm sure the Hindu gingoism and Jewish Zionism will die their natuiral death. Just Wait. Nature will destroy people like you who have hatred for muslims.
While I agree with you that Hamas is fighting for their freedom, they use Terror against civilians.. which is not other groups that fought for freedom did... Thats is why they are called a Terrorist Organization... I agree Israel is no better because they attack Palistinean Civilians, but they can justify that by saying they are protecting themselves against the Terrorist - Hamas... If Hamas chose a method like that Tried and tested by Gandhi in India, Israel will have no excuse... End of the day its sad that the civilians on both sides are the ones that suffer, some more, some less, but both do suffer...