Mere Rhetoric: This Summer's War In Gaza - Might Happen During Spring

The most recent barrage of Qassams almost hit a strategic facility. The fog of this war is growing so dense that it's splitting time in the news cycle with the publication of the Winograd Committee report about the last war - an event that will bring down several ministers and may bring down the entire government. Still, no rest for the Israelis:

A Qassam rocket fired by Palestinians in Gaza Sunday evening landed near a strategic facility located in Ashkelon’s southern industrial zone. No injuries were reported in the attack. Witnesses said that unlike previous strikes, a siren did not sound in the area. “We heard a relatively weak blast and understood that a rocket landed,” one worker said. "We did not get any warning of an incoming rocket, so initially it was unclear what had happened."

The IDF has concluded that a major ground offensive will be necessary to clean out the Gaza rat's nest - and that this major ground operation .will happen sooner or later. When it does, you can be quite sure that Israel will be blamed for the ceasefire - even though 250 rockets and mortars have been fired at Israeli schoolhouses and hospitals since it began. The internationally recognized - though still underfunded - Palestinian government is naturally doing its best to deescalate the situation:

Hamas said on Sunday that its military wing plans to kidnap IDF soldiers if Israel decides to conduct a large-scale ground-invasion of the Gaza Strip. Spokesperson of the Popular Resistance Committees, identified as 'Abu Abir,' made the belligerent statements in response to IDF Chief of Staff Lt. -Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi's suggestion earlier Sunday to begin a large-scale ground operation in the Gaza Strip... n an interview with A Shams radio station, the spokesman said "we are waiting to meet the enemy in Gaza so that we can kidnap more soldiers. If the enemy comes into Gaza, he should be afraid, his Merkava tanks will turn to rubble."

Hamas has been smuggling weapons into Gaza through Egypt's de facto open door policy (and the EU's refusal to do anything about it) since last summer's campaign. The Gaza invasion will take a toll. But if the Palestinians actually believe that they'll be able to take POWs and keep them in Gaza during a major IDF operation, they're dumber than their total failure to establish a state makes them seem.

References:
* Qassam lands near strategic facility in Ashkelon [YNet]
* IDF chief: Gaza incursion inevitable [JPost]
* IDF chief: Ground offensive only way to halt Qassam rocket fire [Ha'aretz]
* Hamas welcomes Gaza op. as chance to nab more troops [JPost]

Previously:
* Like Hezbollah, Hamas Uses Children As Human Shields
* Hamas Terrorists Not Violating Ceasefire Through Clever Trick Of Arming Other Palestinian Terrorists
* Hamas: Koran Says We Can't Recognize Israel

Cross-posted to:
* Israpundit