Israel and Hamas Fight On In Gaza As Cease-Fire Negotiations Are Delayed

Hamas and Israel have resumed the war in Gaza. The Israeli military more than 30 airstrikes were launched Saturday and two dozen rockets were fired into Israel. At least 10 Palestinians were killed since the fighting began again.

As the death toll rises and the two sides continue to trade fire, it seems cease-fire negotiations have once again reached a stalemate. Israel said it refused to send another delegation to Cairo for truce talks while “under fire” from Gaza. Hamas has also reiterated its previous statements that it is not willing to compromise on truce demands and will continue the war until those demands are met.

“We are not going to agree to a cease-fire without having all of our demands met … we will not go back. We are going to continue the war until we achieve our goal. This is what our people want,” Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said on Saturday.

The renewed fighting comes after a peaceful 72-hour cease-fire put in place so that negotiations for a longer term deal could begin in Cairo. However, meeting either side’s demands in full means the other side's would be automatically rejected, and neither is willing to compromise. Israel wants Hamas disarmed, Hamas wants to completely end the blockade, and international parties involved in the talks want to see increased involvement of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Saturday he “condemns the renewed rocket fire toward Israel. More suffering and death of civilians caught up in this conflict is intolerable.”

The death toll has now surpassed 1,900 Palestinians and 67 Israelis, almost all soldiers, since Israel’s “Operation Protective Edge” began July 8.