Israel and Hamas began an uneasy 72 hour cease-fire Sunday in hopes of brokering peace but we have had it all before.
"Israeli media are reporting Israeli forces have declared a humanitarian pause for seven hours." (Video via CCTV)
"A temporary pause in the conflict is underway between Israel and Hamas." (Video via Euronews)
"This morning Gaza is just hours into another humanitarian cease-fire." (Video via CNN)
So what makes this time different? Not much.
Hamas still wants Israel to lift its blockade of Gaza but Israel argues doing so would make it easier for the militants to sneak weapons across the border.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would not negotiate while under fire from Hamas. It's why Israel says it left the last round of negotiations early, which took place Thursday in Cairo.
Now Los Angeles Times reports that Palestinian officials feel Israel is offering them nothing in the negotiations and soon plans to leave Egypt if Israeli officials don't return for talks. Those officials say, that as long as the peace holds, Israeli negotiators will return on Monday.
The New York Times quotes an expert on Arab affairs who said Hamas is "reaching a point where they realize they are not going to have any gains." He also speculated that any deal would provide a benefit to the entire population of Gaza and likely involve a major reconstruction of the area.
The fighting on Sunday lasted almost until the minute the cease-fire started as both sides continued with rocket fire. Health officials say at least seven Palestinians were killed.
So far, the Gaza conflict — now in its second month — has claimed the lives of 1,900 Palestinians, most of whom were civilians. Sixty-seven Israelis have died, most of them soldiers.
This video contains images from Getty Images.
