A real cease fire or just a PR campaign?

It is announced that Israel offers ceasefire, but are they really offering peace?

No.

Gaza is still occupied by Israeli troops and tanks. Drones and helicopters still fly overhead and the borders are still blocked.

Israel should be ashamed for what they have been doing, after 22 days, a ceasefire that has lasted about 5 hours as of now has come weeks too late. Too many people have died under the hands of Israel. They say they are going after Hamas only. My question is, if this is why there is fighting, will they give Palestine freedom once they feel they have accomplished this? Or, will Israel not change their tactics towards Gaza and continue to bring oppression, poverity and miserry to the people of Gaza?

I challenge Israel to change my opinion about their policies, and their treatment and to prove to me that they have not committed war crimes and are aiming not only to bring peace to their own citizens, but are aiming to bring peace to the region.

As long as Israel still occupies and oppresses Gaza and the people of Palestine, I will continue to support what Hamas does in order to free Palestine.

Saeb Erakat, senior negotiator for the Palestinian Authority:

“If the troops remain in Gaza, then I don’t think the ceasefire will last.

“Because of that president Abbas asks the international community to pressure Israel to implement the withdrawal from Gaza very soon.

“We need the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza because there is a humanitarian crisis in Gaza that needs to be resolved.”

As I’m watching Al Jazeera as I type, it appears like Israel is not following their own ceasefire as you can hear “machine gun” type ammo being released as well as something falling and flashing out of a helicopter. My guess is Israel is selling PR campaign to break through a little in western media as it turns it’s attention towards the US for the presidential inauguration, violence will be reduced just enough so they can claim they are cease firing and the Hamas rockets will seem “outragious”.

Let’s hope my ideas are not correct and Israel really is allowing a cease fire to exist so that for a few days Humanitarian aid can start to work and people can have some peace.

Related posts:

1. Was the US told not to vote for UN resolution?
2. End the Siege of Gaza #gaza
3. Welcomed Changes
4. Six months later, Gaza conditions worsen
5. Thursday, November 5th: Media Action Day to End the Siege of Gaza