Israel–Gaza conflict

Image by ShadoWalker Photography via FlickrSo last night I, along with many others, found out via Twitter that Israel had launched a ground offensive in Gaza.

How this will work out for Israel is a different matter, but I am slowly changing my mind on the conflict. It is hard to see a way out of the issue for Israel without resorting to some sort of military action to protect itself?

The more I read, both anti-Israel and Pro-Israel the more I seam to agree with Israels military actions (I am very much against their Economic Blockade which is collective punishment). How long could you live in a country consistently under bombardment with reacting. You cannot always turn the other cheek.

As in all conflicts there is collateral (ie Civilian) casualties. The Israeli Defence Forces will take a lot of casualties as well due to the fact that Gaza is small area and has highly urbanised areas which always lead to high death tolls on all sides.

The Observer calls the military operation a return "the failed strategies of the past" and that "While Hamas's offensive capacities will be blunted for a while, the likelihood, as with Hezbollah after Lebanon in 2006, is that it will quickly rebuild its military strength."

I'm not so sure that Hamas will be able to rebuild as fast as Hezbollah have as the Economic Blockade and the destruction of the supply tunnels will limit how quickly Hamas can rearm.

I can see why a large percentage of Israeli's are supporting the current action, but I do hope to a quick end to this as the longer it takes the more casualties on both sides.