Reply #9: A cease fire doesn't necessarily *always* benefit everyone. [View All]

[Shaktimaan]

In this case, the feeling is that Hamas is not calling for a cease fire out of any desire for long term peace or with any humanitarian goal in mind. Their real motive is assumed to simply be that a cease fire would benefit them strategically right now. When they find themselves at a serious disadvantage, (maybe Israel has cut off their means of production by bombing the Qassam factories for instance), a temporary cease fire gives them the time they need to rearm or to rebuild tunnels for arms suppliers in Egypt or to better entrench themselves a lá Hezbollah by fortifying their positions, etc.

They aren't calling for peace. They are calling for a time out to catch their breath. It's clever because it makes Israel look aggressive when they reject a cease fire proposal and they may even end up being forced by political means to accept it. Realistically though, this is kind of like asking for a quick break in the middle of a street fight so you can run home and grab a knife.

You have to admit, the rhetoric Hamas has been putting out there lately doesn't exactly suggest a peaceful motive.