Hamas feeling the heat

Israel National News:

Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency/ISA) chief Yuval Diskin told the government Sunday that "there are initial signs that Hamas is becoming less intransigent about the possible ceasefire."

"Their leadership is under heavy pressure and wants the Israeli operation halted, while looking for an honorable exit that will not humiliate them," he told the ministers in the weekly cabinet session

...

"There is a willingness on the part of Hamas to reach an accomodation," Diskin said. "The Hamas leadership abroad and in Gaza is under pressure and is acting to achieve a ceasefire," he explained. "It is disappointed with the Arab countries which are not standing by its side."

"Everything Hamas has created in Gaza is under real threat and its leadership feels an existential danger," he added.

...

Military Intelligence Chief Maj.-Gen. Amos Yadlin told the cabinet that "Hamas understands that it made a strategic mistake in violating the 'calm.' It has been dealt a serious blow," he said.

"Dozens of command posts have been hit, ammunition depots and [weapon] production infrastructure have been destroyed," Yadlin continued. "The ability to smuggle through tunnels has been impaired. The group's leaders are busy taking care of themselves. Hamas finds itself hated and isolated."

...

There is more on Israel's cabinet meeting at Ynet where the foreign minister said, "My opinion that in the long term we must lead to the collapse of the Hamas government is well known.... We have no intention of creating a diplomatic product with Hamas...."

Haaretz also covered the meeting.

It appears that the Israelis think Hamas maybe ready for a deal, but that Israel sees no advantage in such a deal at this point. I think Hamas will continue to get hammered. The push for a cease fire at the beginning of the ground invasion failed and there is little momentum now that the Israelis have taken most of the real estate they intended to and the "massacre" agains has not happened.