Hamas and Israel Evolve the Gaza Conflict

The war in Gaza is paused; the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians is not. Israel's armies now sit on the so-called "Yellow Line," occupying roughly half of the Strip. Hamas seeks to gather its battered fighters to attempt to govern the other half. Violations occur and few are optimistic about the future phases of the ceasefire, but few still call it a war either. The drivers of conflict have not ended with the truce. Israel wants Hamas out of Gaza permanently and to block the creation of a Palestinian state. Hamas wants to leverage its damaged but still entrenched position in Gaza into becoming the leader of the Palestinian national movement and eventually the leader of a future Palestinian state. This keeps them locked in conflict -- and on an eventual path to war -- but the victor will be the one who can win the battle for time....