Hamas, Israel’s principal adversary, has not been eliminated by its longest conflict to date. Despite suffering terrible casualties, Hamas is portraying the ceasefire deal in Gaza as a success for itself and a failure for Israel.
Masked gunmen appeared in cars cruising the devasted streets of Gaza in joy shortly after a ceasefire was declared on Sunday. During the captive transfer, members of a top unit were in full uniform at Gaza City’s Al Saraya Square. Fifteen months after Israel set out to destroy them, it served as a reminder to Hamas that its armed branch was still in existence.