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ANALYSIS / Hamas seeks Gaza war of attrition ending in IDF pullout By Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff,Haaretz Correspondents Tags: Israel, Gaza, Hamas  The moment of decision is nigh. In a few days' time, at most, Israel's political leadership will have to decide on the continuation of the ground offensive in Gaza. On day 13 of Operation Cast Lead, which was Thursday, three Israel Defense Forces troops were killed in separate incidents in the Gaza Strip. In the diplomatic arena, Hamas spurned the Egyptian mediation initiative, while the United Nations Security Council discussed the draft of a resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire. Five days into the ground component of the operation, it is becoming apparent that Hamas has not been defeated. Its men, most of whom had disappeared from sight when the IDF troops entered, are beginning to emerge from their hideouts to plague the forces' rear flanks. The IDF is entering one of the offensive's most dangerous phases. Staying on the ground without progressing creates targets for the enemy to hit. Hamas' intransigence seems to stem at least in part from the hope that if they draw enough Israeli blood over the following days through a series of consecutive clashes, Israeli public opinion will turn and force the government to order the military to pull out without reaching an agreement. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who visited the headquarters of the regional division deployed along the border with Gaza, said Thursday that the operation has not yet achieved all the goals it was meant to achieve. Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who also visited the division and continued down south to visit reservists training at Tze'elim army base, told army officers there that a cease-fire does not seem to be within reach. The General Staff has already presented both to Barak and to Olmert two blueprints for expanding the operation, formulated by GOC Southern Command Major General Yoav Gallant. Both plans of action involve sending thousands of additional troops into the Strip. But it seems that the political echelon is not endorsing either plan in any definite terms. The ministers have a third option. They could decide on the rapid conclusion of the operation and pull out the troops even without reaching a formal cease-fire. Meanwhile, the multitude of diplomatic channels is making progress on that front more difficult. With so many mediation efforts in play (by the United States, Egypt and France), the way out is not yet visible. Thursday night U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reentered the picture in her surprising endorsement of the United Nation Security Council's new initiative to call for an immediate cease-fire. This put Jerusalem under pressure, throwing Israeli diplomats into a rearguard battle which Thursday yielded a draft which did not call for an immediate cease-fire. As for the various mediators, they are having some difficulty understanding what Israel wants to achieve. The Israeli leadership is split on this issue. As things stood Thursday, Olmert was in support of broadening the operation and reaching a cease-fire at a later stage. Barak is seeking to reach bring about a quick resolution by reaching an agreement. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, in turn, is inclined to support an immediate pullout from Gaza without consolidating an agreement with Hamas, relying on the vivid threat of an Israeli reentry in case of renewed rocket fire for security stability. The Egyptian mediation effort, meanwhile, seems to have reached the end of the road. Even after sustaining nearly 800 Palestinian casualties, Hamas did not need more than 24 hours of deliberations to announce it was rejecting it. Hamas is hoping that a war of attrition ending in an Israeli pullout will allow it to declare victory. The price which the civilian population is paying is not so disturbing to the organization's leaders. On the contrary: It even serves to increase the dependence of the Strip's inhabitants in Hamas. Israel, for its part, isn't very enthusiastic about the Egyptian initiative. The firing of four Katyusha rockets from southern Lebanon into Israel was no surprise to Jerusalem. It went according to the initial intelligence assessment that said Hezbollah will express solidarity with the Palestinian suffering in Gaza by launching via a proxy organization - in this case a small Palestinian organization. But it looked like a launch for the record. Related articles: Three IDF soldiers killed in fighting in Gaza Strip Report: Obama ready to talk to Hamas after taking office Israel to present complaint to UN over Lebanon rocket fire Czech FM: Israel needs Gaza truce to curry European favor Iran bans volunteer suicide bombers from traveling to Israel Bookmark to del.icio.us   A "gesture of dignity" Israeli envoy to Venezuela departs after being expelled by Chavez over Gaza op A voodoo initiative Voodoo priests in Benin pray for Israeli-Palestinian peace.   1.   gaza 09:56  |  wayne 09/01/09   2.   Livni`s right 10:18  |  Chris 09/01/09   3.   round and round 10:43  |  Jim 09/01/09   4.   Carter and Israeli leaders; the future of Israel depends on you.. 13:33  |  tough questions 09/01/09   5.   3 Jim - Superb Analysis 20:03  |  Mark of Lewiston 09/01/09   6.   war of attrition 20:43  |  Harry 09/01/09   7.   Hamas deluded 03:34  |  Reid 10/01/09   8.   Hamas seeks war of attrition 05:11  |  Ben H 10/01/09

Read & React UN Security Council calls for immediate Gaza truce Responses: 170 UN: IDF officers admit Gaza school shelling was by mistake Responses: 132 Akiva Eldar: Israeli rejection of Gaza deal may topple Abbas Responses: 71 Gideon Levy: Those who justify Gaza war justify all of its crimes Responses: 237 Bernard Avishai, Sam Bahour: Israel playing into Hamas' hands Responses: 66 More Headlines 00:33 Meshal: No Gaza truce until IDF ends offensive, opens border crossings 23:43 IDF: Hamas fighters beginning to desert; army steps up Gaza offensive 23:45 Gaza rocket strikes Ashkelon, injuring 14 Israelis 23:52 Abbas: Israel responsible for 'waterfall of blood' if it rejects Gaza truce 11:13 Israel rejects UN truce resolution, says Gaza operation to continue 23:28 ANALYSIS / Israel should have embraced the UN's Gaza truce proposal 23:29 Pentagon denies arms shipment to Israel linked to Gaza fighting 22:54 Israelis protest Gaza offensive: Our Zionism does not make us crave blood and war 23:07 Protesters turn violent, clash with police at anti-Israel rallies in Europe 22:58 Israel and Hamas are both paying a steep price in Gaza 01:17 IDF uses live ammunition to break up West Bank demonstrations 18:20 Get up to the minute coverage of the warfare in Gaza directly to your email 11:00 EU said readying plan to restore Fatah-led PA rule over Gaza crossings 20:33 7 suspects arrested in Lebanon over rocket fire into northern Israel 22:34 Hamas claims it hit IAF base 27km from Tel Aviv 21:53 Human Rights Watch: Israel using white phosphorus munitions in Gaza 17:19 Yemen begins trial of 3 men accused of spying for Israel 20:54 Voodoo priests in Benin pray for Israeli-Palestinian peace 23:51 Israeli envoy to Venezuela departs after being expelled by Chavez over Gaza op 11:40 Incoming secretary of state Clinton to name Dennis Ross as top adviser on Mideast, Iran 16:02 IDF denies shooting of UN truck in Gaza that killed relief worker 11:18 WATCH: U.S. House passes landslide vote backing Israel in fight against Hamas 21:16 ANALYSIS / Israeli rejection of Gaza deal may topple Abbas 11:20 Obama aide denies report he will launch low-level contact with Hamas 12:23 Text of UN Security Council resolution for Gaza cease-fire 23:38 Syria protests Israel's gift of Golan wine to UN staff Previous Editions Select Day 09 jan 08 jan 07 jan 06 jan 05 jan 04 jan 02 jan 01 jan 31 dec 30 dec 29 dec 28 dec

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