Recognizing that Israel's effort to topple Hamas has failed
"A senior Hamas official in the Gaza Strip, Ayman Taha, told the Egyptian paper Al-Ahram that Israel had offered to free 1,000 Palestinian prisoners and open the crossings in exchange for a cease-fire and Shalit's release. The Lebanese paper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, citing Israeli sources, said the offer was for 1,050 prisoners, including 280 of the 350 senior terrorists whose release Hamas has demanded by name. Prior to the Gaza operation, Israel had agreed to release only some 220 people on this list.
"The organization's main rationale for ending its last truce with Israel, in December, was to end Israel's blockade of Gaza, so Israel's offer allows Hamas to achieve the primary goal for which it went to war."
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