A ceasefire appears to have been available, bringing an end to the recent spasm of futile rocket attacks. Israel chose instead to carry out an assassination of one of the other side's leaders - eight other people were also killed in this assassination, including a seven-year-old girl. In doing so they ensured a massive escalation of violence by Hamas, which provided the justification for an even greater - far greater - escalation of violence by Israel.

I think it is reasonable to suspect that the fact that an election is due in Israel in a few weeks is not unconnected to this.