Both from humanitarian and strategic points of view this is a good decision for Israel. From a humanitarion point of view it is good as it will stop the suffering both in Gaza and Israel if of course Hamas follows suit. From a strategic point of view it is also good for Israel because if Hamas does not follow suit and continues its rocket attacks then it will finally be seen by the world as the responsible party for the suffering in Gaza. And if Hamas did accept the cease fire then Israel would have won the war since the declared goal of this operation by IDF was the stopping of the rockets, specially when measures will be taken to stop the smuggling of arms into Gaza.

I hope they do not call for a ceasefire. We will have accomplished nothing if we do. The army must keep going until Hamas is broken and Shalit is returned.

In any war. The winner dictates the terms of ceasefire. In today's case Israel did not achive any thing. No Shaliet, No stop of rockets and Hamas will benefit from the war in a big way just like Hizbolah did in 2006.I expect Hamas to get more rockets with better range and more powerfull for the next war. what Israel gained? I do not know

The Foreign Minister says Hamas must halt all fire, smuggling of arms and return kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit. Hamas will be too busy sourcing new rockets from Iran to do any of the above.

Truly saddened to hear of Israels possible capitulation. This will almost certainly be viewed as weakness by Hamas, confirmation that Israel can only stand to fight for a week or two. I understand Israelis desire for peace, that no more of her sons die in battle...but these Islamics will only come back for more once they have regrouped and improved their readiness. If Israel must go back in, more Israelis will die. What a terrible dilemma for Israel...such an inntractable foe you face, and such a divided populace. My heart goes out to Israeli Jews. I believe secular Israel's deliverance is as close as her willingness to return to her God in true repentance...only your God can deliver you in the end. May God be merciful to His people the Jews, may His anger turn from them, and may He smite those who seek harm to the Jewish people.

Has the "mission" been accomplished - if so, what exactly was the mission? The rockets haven't stopped. I don't get it.

poor ,Tipsy Liverini, hahahaha Congatulations Hamas, well done.....

This is the only outcome of the war.uhh, beside the 1000 gazans dead and the 5000 injured; of course, not forgetting also the big push to Hamas popularity in the world at large.Good job Israel.Another war like this and you can all go back to Khazaria.

They asked 1000 prisonners to be free vs Shalit.. they will obtain nothing. 1000 dead, 0 prisonner, their country destroyed. Maybe they will tell the world they have won. AH AH AH

No we did not lose. We have detroyed Hamas and their city! don't you watc the news? look how many people are dead in your neighbourhood!

IF we don't finish them, the next form of Hamas we will have to fight, is one that spreads across the Islamic world. The way things look as is, its no good news, more work has to be done by the IDF

This terrorist state of Hamas, needs to hand back our beloved Shalit. otherwise we are in very bad shape.

Why would you destroy and burn the UN compound? It is the single resperotary path for the Palestinians. All the donations they recieved during your attack on them are stored there. You don't look good.

I been watching the news, and I do believe a bilateral cease fire has to take place. why unilateral?

IDF has lost its credibility as a super power, in the Arab people's eyes. :) sorry guys

Who are the Israeli government officials who ok'd this idiotic plan? It is just this sort of plan which will allow Hamas to reorganize, possibly rearm and draw Israeli troops into a potential quagmire. They have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

This was such a political war...shame on Israel. Its so predicatable that there would...must be a ceasfire before the Jan 20 Obama inauguration. This war will not be a victory for Israel until Haniyeh is grabbed out of his bunker and flown to Jerusalem. Nor will it be a victory without Shalit.

Whats to understand?

what a bunch of whiney shalit heads. No Shalit, no victory, no nothing for poor poor israel .....boo hoo....snifle

Livni was the architect of the 2005 disengagement which left the philadelphia corridor open. Before disengagement there were barely any tunnels after there were 600. Livni and rest of kadima with barak and labor refused to allow idf ground troops to enter rafah and destroy the 600 tunnels. You need ground troops not air attacks to destroy the tunnels. Now Iran will just give hamas longer range rockets. During the last few weeks iran was smuggling longer range rockets to hamas. Livni thinks egypt and turkey will stop the smuggling. This war was to get turkey and egypt in charge of our security. Kadima sells out the idf and gives our security to others and accomplishes nothing.

No more money in the election budget that why they stop the war till they collect or begging America for some more money to go on .

Hamas rep in Lebanon: Conflict to continue if our demands aren't answered Published: 01.17.09, 11:01 / Israel News Hamas' representative in Lebanon, Osama Hamdan, said that "the Hamas delegation which arrived in Cairo today has nothing new to offer. If we don’t get what we want, the conflict will continue." According to Hamdan, "The different initiatives for a ceasefire are aimed at forcing the Palestinians to make concessions which the enemy has not succeeded in gaining from them through the fighting." (Ali Waked) Livni and the Government are Jerks. Hamas has a:lready tested 6 Months Ceasfire. Israel is a LOSER !. Orao.

Doent forget that Britsh attack on Dresden caused 60 000 dead of German population in one night. I assume that the Israeli government can but does not want so be so effective as Britain was in the past with Germany

and Hamas is the winner of more than 1500 places in paradise What are you telling??? If they want they can make 40 000 killed in one night but is it necessary .....ask Hamas qand people which survived the Black september