amira hass, welcome back to democracy now! there was a general strike, a protest in a gaza inside israel in the west bank, around the world for palestinians -- four palestinians were killed in the west bank where you are. can you talk about the situation overall. >> well, as you described it, over the past 20 minutes or so, it is is one country or the palestinians are being attacked on the one hand but on the other hand, they are rebelling. all over -- and i think we should not underestimate the political and military achievement of hamas to paralyze israeli -- for the past 10 days. it is terrible because we think about the hell through which people in gaza live because of israeli offensive, but at the same time we have to remember it was a calculated decision by hamas to respond to israeli escalation in jerusalem during the ramadan month. to respond i i military ultimate into and the logic -- by military ultimatum, no launching of rockets, which [indiscernible] in a state of fear. when we think about the balance of power, it