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Israel Says Troops Are Out of Gaza as Cease-Fire Begins ISRAEL EXITS GAZA; TRUCE TAKES HOLD
(about 3 hours later)
JERUSALEM — As a 72-hour cease-fire mediated by Egypt took hold on Tuesday, Gazans emerged to view a shattered landscape with Hamas still in power, while Israel began to debate the politics, costs and accomplishments of the monthlong war.JERUSALEM — As a 72-hour cease-fire mediated by Egypt took hold on Tuesday, Gazans emerged to view a shattered landscape with Hamas still in power, while Israel began to debate the politics, costs and accomplishments of the monthlong war.
Israel announced the withdrawal of all its forces from the Gaza Strip and both sides said they would engage in talks on a lasting arrangement to keep the peace. But the negotiations, also to be mediated by Egypt, are bound to be tricky; and given the participants’ antagonisms and sharply different goals, the cease-fire could still collapse. Israeli officials emphasized that their army, navy and air force remain deployed near the coastal territory, primed to respond to any attacks from Gaza. Israel announced the withdrawal of all its forces from the Gaza Strip, and both sides said they would engage in talks on a lasting arrangement to keep the peace. But the negotiations, also to be mediated by Egypt, are bound to be tricky, given the participants’ antagonisms and sharply different goals. Israeli officials emphasized that their army, navy and air force remained deployed near the coastal territory, primed to respond to any attacks from Gaza.
Since the conflict began in earnest on July 8, Gaza officials say, more than 1,830 Palestinians have died, most of them civilians, with more of the dead likely to emerge as the rubble is cleared away. Israel says 64 of its soldiers and three civilians have been killed. Since the conflict began in earnest on July 8, Gaza officials say that more than 1,830 Palestinians have died, most of them civilians. Israel says 64 of its soldiers and three civilians have been killed.
But people on both sides are already wondering if the death and destruction was worth what is essentially another standoff between Israel and Hamas, the militant Islamic group that governs Gaza, and its ally Islamic Jihad, with no clear victor or vanquished. The cease-fire proposal accepted late Monday night is essentially the same one that was rejected by Hamas three weeks ago, before the Israelis moved into Gaza with ground troops, and on its face it resolves little. People on both sides are wondering if the death and destruction was worth what is essentially another stalemate between Israel and Hamas, the militant Islamic group that governs Gaza, and its ally Islamic Jihad. The cease-fire proposal accepted late Monday night is essentially the same one that was rejected by Hamas three weeks ago, before the Israelis moved into Gaza with ground troops.
In Gaza City, there was little sense of celebration that the fighting had stopped, although many of those interviewed said they thought this cease-fire was more likely to succeed than previous ones, which quickly collapsed amid new violence.In Gaza City, there was little sense of celebration that the fighting had stopped, although many of those interviewed said they thought this cease-fire was more likely to succeed than previous ones, which quickly collapsed amid new violence.
Gaza’s streets slowly filled with cars, donkey carts and trucks, many of them piled with the belongings of displaced families moving from one spot to another toting mattresses, kitchen supplies and bags of clothes. Gaza’s streets on Tuesday slowly filled with cars, donkey carts and trucks, many of them piled with the belongings of displaced families moving from one spot to another toting mattresses, kitchen supplies and bags of clothes.
Residents began to venture out more freely, going to shops and banks or just taking a walk. Fruit stands were full of pears and watermelons, though they had few customers. Men had returned to their familiar stations on plastic chairs outside electronics shops. A man sat in a barber’s chair, orange smock on his shoulders, getting a trim. Gaza faces a major challenge in reconstruction, with its infrastructure, always shaky, badly damaged. Electrical cables are down, the only power plant is out of action, the water and sewage systems are damaged and hospitals urgently need resupplying.
Many shops displayed merchandise they had hoped to sell for the holiday at the end of Ramadan but left locked in storerooms because of the conflict. Many gas stations were closed, and given the lack of electricity, traffic lights were out. About 260,000 of Gaza’s 1.8 million residents have been displaced by the fighting, according to the United Nations, and many thousands of them remain huddled in schools or living with friends and relatives. Many have no homes to return to.
Gaza faces a major challenge in reconstruction, with its infrastructure, always shaky, badly damaged. Electrical cables are down, the only power plant is out of action, the water and sewage systems are damaged and hospitals urgently need resupplying. There is also the less visible psychological impact of modern war among ordinary people, especially children. “We lost in one instant all we had worked for 40 years to build,” said Fouad Harara, 55, who had worked for decades as a laborer in Israel. “The only thing we gained is destruction.”
About 260,000 of Gaza’s 1.8 million residents have been displaced by the fighting, according to the United Nations, and many thousands of them remain huddled in schools or living with friends and relatives, because the destruction wrought by the war left them with no homes to return to.
“I just came back to see my house,” said Jihad Harara, 65, sitting on a plastic chair in front of a damaged mosque in eastern Gaza City. Across the street stretched an expanse of collapsed apartment buildings that now lay in a mess of concrete and rebar. “Even if I can’t sleep there, I wanted to see it.”
Fouad Harara, 55, his brother, said he had worked for decades as a laborer in Israel to build his house, which had also been erased by the war. “The only thing we gained is destruction,” he said. “We lost in one instant all we had worked for 40 years to build.”
In the Shejaiya neighborhood in eastern Gaza City, where many Israeli soldiers were killed and where entire streets looked as if they had been through an earthquake, Hani Harazeen, 42, searched the rubble of his collapsed home for anything he could find.In the Shejaiya neighborhood in eastern Gaza City, where many Israeli soldiers were killed and where entire streets looked as if they had been through an earthquake, Hani Harazeen, 42, searched the rubble of his collapsed home for anything he could find.
“We used to praise God that we all had work and lived together,” he said of himself and his brothers, who lived with their families in adjacent buildings. “Now we are scattered all over and looking for places to sleep.”“We used to praise God that we all had work and lived together,” he said of himself and his brothers, who lived with their families in adjacent buildings. “Now we are scattered all over and looking for places to sleep.”
He pointed to remnants of his brothers’ livelihoods: destroyed merchandise from an auto-parts store; an overturned semi-truck and a pile of dead sheep that had been penned behind the house. Mr. Harazeen ran a photo and video studio on the ground floor. All he’d been able to find from it were a few stray cassettes and photos from other people’s weddings. He said he had not seen any Palestinian fighters before he fled the area and had no idea how they had fought.
He said he had not seen any Palestinian fighters before he fled the area and had no idea how they had fought, but he found the destruction hard to understand. “The war started, and the resistance responded,” he said. “But does Hamas have fighter jets? Can its rockets do this to a home?”
“The war started and the resistance responded,” he said. “But does Hamas have fighter jets? Can its rockets do this to a home?” After being nearly invisible to most Gazans throughout the war, Hamas police officers emerged in some areas, patrolling in blue and white trucks and inspecting damaged neighborhoods.
After remaining nearly invisible to most Gazans throughout the war, Hamas policemen emerged in some areas, patrolling in blue and white trucks and inspecting damaged neighborhoods.
New billboards had been put up recently in Gaza City, one of them showing a group of fighters and a tunnel with the words “The Tunnels of Glory” and “Passages to Arrive in Jerusalem.”New billboards had been put up recently in Gaza City, one of them showing a group of fighters and a tunnel with the words “The Tunnels of Glory” and “Passages to Arrive in Jerusalem.”
Hamas’s Al Aqsa radio station alternated between triumphant jihadi anthems and talk shows about how “the resistance” had vanquished the “Zionist enemy” with its rockets, forcing it to withdraw from Gaza.Hamas’s Al Aqsa radio station alternated between triumphant jihadi anthems and talk shows about how “the resistance” had vanquished the “Zionist enemy” with its rockets, forcing it to withdraw from Gaza.
Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, the Israeli military spokesman, said Israel had finished destroying about 32 tunnels built by Hamas and leading into Israel, and that Israeli forces had killed about 900 militants, a figure that is bound to be challenged by Hamas. He said that Israel had destroyed more than 3,000 rockets belonging to Hamas and its Islamic Jihad and that those groups had launched more than 3,300 rockets toward Israel. Israel believes that they have 3,000 remaining rockets. Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, the Israeli military spokesman, said that Israel had destroyed about 32 tunnels built by Hamas and leading into Israel, and that Israeli forces had killed about 900 militants, a figure that is bound to be challenged by Hamas. He said that Israel had destroyed more than 3,000 rockets belonging to Hamas and Islamic Jihad and that those groups had launched more than 3,300 rockets toward Israel. Israel said it suspected that they had 3,000 rockets left.
But Hamas and Islamic Jihad appeared ready now for the conflict to come to a halt, even though the cease-fire proposal is little changed from one they had rejected earlier and with no promise of Israeli concessions. But Hamas and Islamic Jihad appeared ready for the conflict to come to a halt.
The cease-fire could break down over negotiations for a more durable arrangement, or it could be extended beyond the initial 72 hours. “It’s clear now that the interest of all parties is to have a cease-fire,” said Bassam Salhi, a Palestinian delegate in Cairo. “It’s going to be tough negotiations because Israel has demands, too. We don’t have any guarantees the siege will be removed.”The cease-fire could break down over negotiations for a more durable arrangement, or it could be extended beyond the initial 72 hours. “It’s clear now that the interest of all parties is to have a cease-fire,” said Bassam Salhi, a Palestinian delegate in Cairo. “It’s going to be tough negotiations because Israel has demands, too. We don’t have any guarantees the siege will be removed.”
Israeli demands are for security, a durable end to attacks from Gaza and strong control over what comes in and out of Gaza, aided by the Egyptians, to prevent Hamas and Islamic Jihad from easily rearming or building new networks of tunnels with diverted or smuggled cement. Israel is demanding security, a durable end to attacks from Gaza and strong control over what comes in and out of Gaza, aided by the Egyptians, to prevent Hamas and Islamic Jihad from easily rearming or building new networks of tunnels with diverted or smuggled cement.
Yossi Kuperwasser, director general of the Israeli Ministry of Strategic Affairs, said that in Cairo, Israel wants “to come out with arrangements that assure us that this cease-fire will be different from previous ones, that it lasts a long time and Hamas won’t rearm itself.” He added, “Fortunately, now we have an Egypt that seems willing to contribute to this outcome,” with a president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who opposes Hamas. Yossi Kuperwasser, director general of the Israeli Ministry of Strategic Affairs, said that in Cairo, Israel wanted “to come out with arrangements that assure us that this cease-fire will be different from previous ones, that it lasts a long time and Hamas won’t rearm itself.” He added, “Fortunately, now we have an Egypt that seems willing to contribute to this outcome,” with a president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who opposes Hamas.
Israel has not succeeded in destroying Hamas, which was said to be a goal of the campaign, nor in dislodging it from control over Gaza. Hamas is expected to call the monthlong conflict a victory. Hamas killed a comparatively large number of Israeli soldiers — 64 — compared with the last major conflict, in 2008-9, when 10 soldiers were killed, four of them by friendly fire. The fighters of Hamas were disciplined and showed good tactical skills; its commanders largely survived the war; its rockets reached nearly all of Israel, forcing thousands into shelters, and even shut down Israel’s international airport near Tel Aviv for two days. Israel has not succeeded in destroying Hamas, which was said to be a goal of the campaign, nor in dislodging it from control over Gaza. Hamas is expected to call the monthlong conflict a victory. Hamas killed more Israeli soldiers, 64, than the last major conflict, in 2008-9, when 10 soldiers were killed, four of them by friendly fire. Hamas commanders largely survived the war; its rockets reached nearly all of Israel, forcing thousands into shelters, and even shut down Israel’s international airport near Tel Aviv for two days.
Hamas has been hurt, but it has survived to fight another day, and it has earned respect among many Palestinians and other Arabs. That has infuriated some on the Israeli right, who blame the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, for lack of gumption. Uzi Landau, for example, the tourism minister from the party Yisrael Beiteinu, told Israel Radio, “The operation ended with no achievement that ensures quiet.” Hamas has been hurt, but it has survived and has earned respect among many Palestinians and other Arabs. That has infuriated some on the Israeli right, who blame Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for lacking gumption. Uzi Landau, for example, the tourism minister from the party Yisrael Beiteinu, told Israel Radio, “The operation ended with no achievement that ensures quiet.”
Yaakov Perry, the minister of science from the centrist Yesh Atid party but also a former head of Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service, said the army’s achievements were significant. “But I think we have to measure the current confrontation and the current suffering by the yardstick of the political achievements that Israel has to be very, very determined about,” he said. Yaakov Peri, the minister of science from the centrist Yesh Atid party but also a former head of Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service, said the army’s achievements were significant. “But I think we have to measure the current confrontation and the current suffering by the yardstick of the political achievements that Israel has to be very, very determined about,” he said.
Israel has also suffered a significant blow to its international standing, with the United Nations and Western nations, including the United States, Britain, France and Germany, lamenting the human cost of the war and criticizing some of Israel’s attacks on or near United Nations schools that were harboring thousands of displaced civilians. Tensions between Israel and its closest ally, the United States, are obvious. Israel has also suffered a significant blow to its international standing, with the United Nations and Western nations, including the United States, Britain, France and Germany, lamenting the human cost of the war and criticizing some of Israel’s attacks on or near United Nations schools that were harboring thousands of displaced civilians.
The war will also have domestic implications for both sides. There will also be new debates in Israel about the preparedness of the army for urban combat and even an investigation into why the extent of the Hamas tunnel system into Israel was either not known or not prepared for better. The Iron Dome air defense system, which destroys or diverts missiles, most likely saved many Israeli lives, but the Hamas tunnel system was a psychological and tactical surprise.
Shlomo Avineri, a political scientist at Hebrew University, said Mr. Netanyahu had behaved “much more reasonably than many people expected.” Still, he said, “that’s not good enough, because there doesn’t seem to be a real exit strategy.” Egypt is also eager to bolster the status of Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, and Fatah, its political wing, which also govern the West Bank. Even Mr. Netanyahu and his team, who have often dismissed Mr. Abbas, are now are looking to him and Fatah as potential partners.
Israeli talk of tying the reconstruction of Gaza to its demilitarization through a multilateral effort, even at the United Nations, “puts the ball in someone else’s court,” Mr. Avineri said. “It’s a good policy idea but I can’t see the mechanism for it.” But Mr. Abbas is 79 and has health problems, raising questions about who will succeed him. One possible candidate, Mohammed Dahlan, 52, who was born in Gaza, is favored by some Egyptian officials. But he is disliked by Mr. Abbas and hated by Hamas, which Mr. Dahlan tried to suppress when he effectively ran Gaza for the Palestinian Authority.
There will also be new debates in Israel about the preparedness of the army for urban combat and even an investigation into why the extent of the Hamas tunnel system into Israel was either not known or not prepared for better. The success of the Iron Dome air defense system to destroy or divert missiles no doubt saved many Israeli lives and kept pressure off the government to reoccupy Gaza, a step Mr. Netanyahu, Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon and the army did not want to take. But the Hamas tunnel system was a psychological and tactical surprise. Just before the cease-fire went into effect at 8 a.m., a last salvo of rockets was fired toward Israel from Gaza, causing warning sirens to sound in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, while the Israeli Air Force carried out at least five strikes in Gaza, a customary last word before another in a series of conflicts between Israel and Hamas came to an end.
Egypt is also eager to bolster the status of Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, and Fatah, its political wing, which also govern the West Bank. Even Mr. Netanyahu and his team, who have often dismissed Mr. Abbas and who acted to undermine the unity government he forged with Hamas, are now are looking to him and Fatah as potential partners.
What hangs over all those discussions, of course, is who will succeed Mr. Abbas, who is 79 and has health problems. Some say the Egyptians are favoring Mahmoud Dahlan, 52, who was born in Gaza. But Mr. Dahlan is no favorite of Mr. Abbas and is hated by Hamas, which Mr. Dahlan tried to suppress when he effectively ran Gaza for the Palestinian Authority. Hamas drove him and Fatah out in a brief civil war in 2007, which sealed Hamas’s hold on the territory.
Just before the cease-fire went into effect at 8 a.m., a last salvo of rockets were fired toward Israel from Gaza, causing warning sirens to sound in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, while the Israeli air force carried out at least five strikes in Gaza, a customary last word before another in a series of conflicts between Israel and Hamas came to an end.