Israel Satisfied With Successful Ceasefire After Operation Initiated ‘Not By Our Choice’

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israeli officials expressed satisfaction at the apparent success of the ceasefire with Islamic Jihad and added that “We can now start looking toward the next phase.”

The officials, who spoke with Israeli media Monday, stressed that Israel had embarked on the three-day Alot Ha’Shachar operation [ Shachar connotes black, the color of Islamic Jihad uniforms] “not by our choice.” The operation was a result of the arrest of Islamic Jihad Samaria commander Bassam Al-Sa’ada but Israeli officials had not expected such a serious escalation due to the arrest.

However all diplomatic efforts to calm tensions had not succeeded and Israel was aware that Islamic Jihad snipers and terrorists were targeting the southern Negev with anti-tank weapons and other forms of attack. In the end Israel preempted the Islamic Jihad and succeeded in eliminating two major commanders of the Shiite terror group.

“We couldn’t keep holding the Gaza border area in that situation, and our prior efforts failed to prevent the intention to carry out shooting attacks, and we understood we were moving toward an operation,” an official said.

“Then we realized that Islamic Jihad does not intend to leave this issue without operating, and operating in a significant way.”

Israeli intelligence asserted that Hamas (which is also opposed to Islamic Jihad) would not join fighting against Israel if the Islamic Jihad’s installations were targeted. Over a hundred such installations and weapons depots were destroyed in the operation.

Islamic Jihad fired some 1,000 rockets towards various regions in Israel, causing a number of light injuries. Islamic Jihad lost tens of fighters as well as key leaders of northern and southern Gaza terror units. Palestinians reported 24 civilian casualties, mostly from stray rockets.