So what has Israel gained from Netanyahu's Operation Off the Cliff?

And make no mistake, this was a war of Netanyahu's choosing.

Leaving aside for a moment the hatred fomented in Gaza by the gratuitous carnage visited on them over the past seven weeks, what precisely was it that well over five dozen IDF soldiers have given their lives for?

If it was to burnish Netanyahu's tough-guy credentials, it was a gross miscalculation.

If the ceasefire agreed today does indeed ease restrictions at the Gaza border, then the Palestinians correctly see their struggle and sacrifice, in a war they didn't want and didn't start, as a victory.

It follows that if Netanyahu intended to crush Hamas but instead handed them a victory that improves their standing among the Palestinians, he has suffered a crushing defeat, and needs to resign immediately.