Gaza Update:   Israel's Operation Protective Edge Aftermath

September 24, 2014

The most frequently asked question about Israel’s “Protective Edge” attack on Hamas in Gaza is “who won?”  Like everything else about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, the answer is complex and multifaceted.  Most experts point out that who won depends on the framework being used.  For example, some experts focus on the short term effects of Protective Edge while other experts, noting that the conflict will not be solved in the short term, stress the long term consequences.  Some experts, fearing that Israel and Hamas will not be able to break the deadlock themselves, have identified other groups and individuals who may be able to contribute to a resolution, as the winners or losers.

Israel destroyed Hamas tunnels, assassinated three Hamas leaders, and depleted Hamas’ rocket supply at a cost of 2100 Palestinians and 70 Israelis.  Israel, however, was not able to demilitarize Gaza.  Moreover, as Ami Ayalon (co-founder of Blue White Future and former director of the Israeli Security Agency- Shin Bet)  points out, Israel has lost in the eyes of the world because its story has not been perceived as just.  Thus, despite short term Israeli victories, Hamas has turned around what was seen as a decline in Palestinian public support, and  is now gaining in public support and thus seems to be the long term winner. 

Besides Hamas and Israel, some experts have identified other winners and losers.  The table below presents some selected winners and losers.  Besides Israel and Hamas, a key question is, of the winners and losers, which ones are most important for their contribution to resolving the conflict.