Opinion: Merely Momentary Victors

Both Israel and Hamas have proclaimed themselves victors in this latest, seven-week conflict. Despite the ceasefire, DW's Anne Allmeling says both sides have a lot more to lose.

For Hamas, it is paramount to demonstrate a strong presence in the Gaza Strip. The Islamist organization fought for seven weeks, and it paid a high price for that doggedness. More than 2,000 Palestinians were killed in this latest conflict, but still, Hamas didn't want to give up.



Only now has a ceasefire been agreed with Israel, one that fulfills only the bare minimum of its demands. And yet, Hamas is calling itself the victor. Let's not forget that victory could have been proclaimed weeks ago.



Israel loses standing



For Israel, it is out of the question to show any weakness. Over the past weeks, the military (IDF) was quick to fire back when rockets landed on its territory. Hundreds of children were killed in Gaza, and hundreds of buildings destroyed, even schools and hospitals and structures where rockets were stored.



Israel has opened itself up to rebuke and has lost considerable esteem in the process. However, it, too, sees itself as the victor.



But even a cursory analysis of the outcome shows that neither side won very much in this latest conflict. Hamas wanted to lift the Israeli blockade completely. To speak of a "victory" over the Israelis here makes the Palestinians look, well, not credible. Israel will continue to inspect everything that passes into the Gaza Strip.



Hamas weakened



Moreover, the Rafah border crossing to Egypt is now to be patrolled by security forces of the Fatah-controlled Palestinian National Authority (PA). This will weaken Hamas in its internal fighting with President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah, which controls the West Bank.



Hamas will now also have to cooperate with the Egyptian military regime that ousted the Muslim Brotherhood, one of Hamas' allies. The recent rhetoric of victory, however, could be a way to drone out such qualms.



The Israelis, meanwhile, haven't been celebrating quite as loud: Perhaps, because they don't need to. Although Netanyahu's government wasn't able to achieve its objective of disarming Hamas, the current situation in Syria and Iraq has played into Israel's hands. The advances of extremist groups throughout the region has unleashed fears that the situation could spiral out of control, potentially weakening international solidarity with radical Islamist groups such as Hamas.



Further concessions needed



With that said, however, the Israelis also can't call themselves victors. For the current ceasefire to hold, further concessions will be needed. Hamas is demanding its own harbor and airport in Gaza.



They also want an amnesty of Palestinian prisoners. The Israelis, on the other hand, are pressing on with demands for a full disarmament of Palestinian groups in the Strip. If both sides say they've gained the upper hand, then it's because they know that many of the essential issues still haven't been ironed out.