Has Israel achieved its goals in Gaza? It depends.

By Li Bo

Israel announced a unilateral ceasefire in the Gaza Strip on Saturday after a deadly 22-day offensive that occurred amidst mediation and mounting global pressure to end the violence.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert claimed the offensive achieved all of its goals. Analysts say if the goal was to teach Hamas a lesson, then the objective was accomplished. But, they said, if the goal was the eradication of Hamas, then Israel was not successful.

"If it is out to educate Hamas, Israel may have achieved its aims," New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman said recently.

Hamas institutions were badly damaged during the offensive and several senior Hamas officials, including Interior Minister Said Siam and Nizar Rayan, a top military commander, were killed. Hundreds of Hamas fighters also died in Israeli air raids.

But Israeli officials said in briefings to the cabinet on Sunday that Hamas militants might well keep shooting rockets just to prove that the group remains strong.

General estimates put the entire force of Hamas well into the thousands.

"Israel knew it could not destroy every rocket or kill every Hamas militant," said Ethan Bronner, Jerusalem bureau chief of The New York Times.

"What is clear is that, despite vague Israeli hopes that Hamas could be completely removed, that has not happened," Bronner wrote in a recent article. "Much of the group's manpower remains, mostly because it made a point of fighting at a distance -- or not at all-- whenever possible despite the fury of the Israeli advance and bombardment."

On the other hand, Hamas, which has connected with grassroots support in Gaza, remains defiant.

Ismail Haniya, head of the Islamic movement's government in the Gaza Strip, claimed a "great victory" after Israel announced its ceasefire.

"God has granted us a great victory, not for one faction, or party, or area, but for our entire people," Haniya said in a televised address, "We have stopped the aggression and the enemy has failed to achieve any of its goals."