POLITICS - Israel implemented a unilateral cease-fire early Sunday in its 22-day offensive that turned Gaza neighbourhoods into battlegrounds but barely hurt the strength of Islamic militants of Hamas and may only serve to make them grow in popularity. Israeli troops will stay in the Palestinian territory for now and Hamas has threatened to keep fighting until they leave.In announcing the cease-fire late Saturday, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel had achieved its goals and more. International condemnation of Israeli attacks on Palestinian civilians and the rising death toll of children killed in the combat zones had caused Israel to lose much of their international support.
"Hamas was hit hard, in its military arms and in its government institutions. Its leaders are in hiding and many of its men have been killed," Olmert said.
Israel launched the offensive on Dec. 27 to stop years of rocket fire from Gaza at southern Israeli towns. But the rockets did not stop coming throughout the assault. Militants fired about 30 rockets into Israel on Saturday, eight of them around the time Olmert spoke.More than 1,100 Palestinians have been killed in the offensive, about 400 of them children (approx. half of the people living in Gaza are under the age of 17), according to Palestinian and U.N. officials. Only 13 Israelis have also been killed since the fighting began.
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