Two weeks of all out assault on the Hamas government has led to the group on its knees pleading for peace. Interior Ministry offices were blown to bits, members of parliament were arrested, entire parts of Gaza were temporarily reoccupied, and and Prime Minister Haniya was hiding for his life. A declaration of ceasefire should be no surprise. Hamas has been rendered completely incapable of governing, brought to the realization that it cannot exist unless Israel recognizes it, and not the other way around.

It should also not come as a surprise that Israel has declined such a generous offer. Hamas has had every bone broken in its body; this is a sign of weakness. Historically, whenever it has called for a ceasefire, it has broken it just as soon as it has recuperated and readied itself for attack once again. An endless game of gotcha, no more.

The Palestinian prime minister from Hamas, Ismail Haniya, on Saturday called for a mutual cease-fire with Israel after Israeli forces pulled out of most of the northern Gaza Strip, perhaps responding to Israeli hints that a package deal might be possible to end a military and political crisis.

Eleven days after Israeli forces entered Gaza to free an abducted Israeli soldier and stop rocket fire by militants, they continued to hold territory in northern Gaza, east of Beit Hanun and the Erez crossing, and in the south, near Rafah. Early Saturday, the military also moved into eastern Gaza near the Karni crossing with Israel, where there were fierce clashes with militants on the eastern edge of Gaza City.

An Israeli official said in response to Haniya that there would be no cease-fire until the release of the Israeli soldier, Cpl. Gilad Shalit.

Israel appears willing to pay more in blood and riches for peace than simply the head of Corporal Shalit. The very existence of the nation is what Israel is fighting for, and for that Hamas must be forced into a realization that it will no longer exist without Israel. It may be a forced peace, but it is a peace nonetheless that could provide for the eventual stability of a Palestinian state.

Yet Israel is not the only party willing to pay a price for peace. Secretary-General of the United Nations Kofi Annan has told Israel that it must end its assault on the Palestinian Territories, while laying little blame on Hamas. There was no talk of ending rocket attacks, kidnappings, and infilitrations. Only Israel, for the humanitarian crisis that it created. To the United Nations, the price of peace is the right to exist itself.

The only humanitarian crisis in Gaza is the one that Hamas has caused itself. Civilians would not have died in military strikes against it if the group did not hide its weapons and militants amongst them. Food, water, and medicine would not be in short supply if it did not use every opening to launch attacks across the border.

Blame for what has happened lies squarely on Hamas for everything that has befallen them. Once this has been acknowledged, by both the United Nations but especially the Palestinian people, then we can see some progress in peace.