Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon told a conference at Bar-Ilan University on Monday that the Gaza war lasted for 50 days mainly because Israel insisted that Hamas accept the Egyptian cease-fire proposal – which it ultimately did – and would not agree to alternative proposals that Hamas preferred. A schism in the Hamas leadership also contributed to prolonging the war, he added, saying that Khaled Meshaal, the Qatar-based head of Hamas’ political bureau, “brought about a significant delay in the cease-fire.” (Ha’aretz)
Ya’alon also said that Hamas has retained only 20% of its rocket arsenal, totaling roughly 2,000 projectiles. Hamas lost 40 senior operatives, along with 10 Palestinian Islamic Jihad leaders, Ya’alon said.
{Matzav.com Israel}
