Operation Warm Winter

One of the main arguments against the IDF carrying out a ground offensive in Gaza is the lack of an "exit strategy." This is said to have been the problem with the US in Vietnam and in Iraq and Israel in Lebanon. Actually, in the case of Gaza, the exit strategy is relatively simple. The first requirement is a cessation of all rocket attacks on Israeli territory. This can be accomplished by the IDF taking the launching grounds and destroying the capability of the terrorist organizations to make and launch the rockets. This will ultimately require destruction of the ability of the terrorist organization Hamas to control Gaza.
The second requirement follows naturally from the first, namely the take-over of Gaza by the Fatah organization under Pres. Abbas. This changeover must be accomplished with the involvement of Israel, and an agreement must be signed, with US representatives present, that Abbas/Fatah will not allow any more rockets to be fired at Israel from Gaza. Otherwise, once again, Israel will consider this a causus belli and will reenter Gaza in order to stop the rocket firings. Israel should leave Gaza only once the rocket firings are stopped and once Hamas control is replaced by Fatah and only when such commitments are made before the international community.
At present there is a break in the Israeli offensive, which is called "Operation warm winter," after 5 days to allow for re-evaluation and for the visit tomorrow of US Secty of State Rice (musn't embarrass her). However, both military sources and PM Olmert have indicated that the offensive will continue. The IDF captured the northern areas near the Jabaliya camp from which most Kassams have been fired, and has now withdrawn. But it has not stopped the firing of Kassams from elsewhere and Grad missiles (with longer range) are still being fired from Gaza City at Ashkelon.
Reports from Palestinian sources, that are widely disseminated by the biased leftist press, that the majority of 100 or so Palestinian casualties are civilians (ca. 70%) are clearly unreliable (most gunmen fight in civilian clothes and routinely are included in reports as civilians). The IDF, based on evidence from soldiers in the field estimate that 80% of casualties are gunmen. Neither figure is reliable, but if I had to bet, based on previous evidence and reliability (remember the "massacre" at Jenin), I would take the IDF figure. In general the IDF takes great care to avoid civilian casualties (but gets no reprieve from criticism for this).
It is clear that Hamas was gradually upping the ante, increasing the number of Kassams and then introducing Grads at Ashkelon, in order to induce a response from the IDF, probably on Hizbullah's and Iran's orders. However, once the IDF did respond, Hamas are reported to be seeking a ceasefire thru Arab intermediaries, namely Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and the Arab League. PM Haniyeh's office and the Hamas HQ in Gaza have both been destroyed and all Hamas leaders are hiding underground, afraid to communicate by telephone. But, Iran and Hizbollah are watching very closely to see how Israel responds to this challenge. This is not yet a resolved situation.