By Ashley Ham
Staff Writer
After years of gruesome attacks by Palestinian para¬military organization and political party, Hamas, and centuries of hostile con¬tempt by surrounding Arab countries, Israel has finally gone on the offensive in the southern part of the country on the border of the Gaza Strip. Tradition contin¬ues in the Middle East as a fight for territory and Israeli existence continues along the Mediterranean Sea in Gaza.
At the close of 2008, a massive assault launched against Hamas destroyed Palestinian homes and buildings, as well as the economy in Gaza. Israel re¬taliated in response to the constant bombardment of rockets and violence. The Israeli military also aimed to destroy the underground tunnels used by Hamas to smuggle weapons and supplies from Egypt to the Hamas militia extremists. The destruction has taken its toll in Israel and Gaza alike, resulting in an inter¬vention and negotiating peace talks by the UN and Egypt. An unofficial cease-fire is taking place in the Gaza Strip now, and so far neither party is planning to carry on with attacks. Hamas demands that Israel remove its current border blockade, which is, in part, a major contribution to the poor economic status in Gaza.
Although some of the tunnels along the Egyp¬tian-Gazan border have re¬opened, Israel has request¬ed that Egypt have stricter regulations of the border to prevent Hamas from smug¬gling more weapons into the country and rearming for another possible at¬tack. Israel hopes to lever¬age Hamas by exchanging Hamas military prisoners in return for an Israeli soldier, captured along the border in 2006. While there is no official cease-fire or peace document signed by either feuding group, the UN and Egypt are optimistic that the peace in Gaza can con¬tinue while the world holds its breath for the weeks to come, anticipating the next move in the Middle East’s struggle for peace.
