Israel is to blame for the breakdown of a short-lived ceasefire with Hamas because it refused to discuss the Palestinian militant group’s demands, a former US intelligence officer told RIA Novosti.
“The last time I checked, a cease-fire agreement involves both parties to the conflict,” said Elizabeth Murray, a former Middle East officer with the US Government’s National Intelligence Council. “All the information available to me indicates that Hamas was not consulted on this cease-fire proposal, and that none of Hamas’ proposed conditions were up for debate.
“Israel has refused to negotiate, and has now said that it will intensify attacks in view of Hamas’ non-recognition of this proposal. So this ‘deal’ is nothing but a publicity stunt. And it’s a dangerous pretext for Israel to further escalate its massacre inside Gaza.”
“Thanks to real-time social media such as Twitter and Instagram, which allow journalists, medical personnel and ordinary citizens in Gaza to convey the ugly realities of Israel's attacks on the civilian population – it is becoming harder for Israel to distort the truth. Israel is losing its propaganda war,” Murray said.
On Tuesday, Israel resumed air strikes on Hamas-controlled Gaza. Israel had accepted an Egyptian ceasefire deal and halted military strikes, but Palestinian rocket attacks continued from Gaza and Hamas rejected the idea, calling it a “surrender” plan.
