Gaza: Two rights make a wrong.

As the latest conflict in Gaza nears the end of its second week, it is becoming clear that neither Israel or Hamas is any closer to achieving their ultimate goals, even as both sides continuously claim personal victory.

With Israeli air-power and ground forces laying siege to Gaza since late December, it seems the regional superpower is dangerously close to repeating the same mistakes it made in Lebanon during its 2006 war with Hezbollah. Hamas, despite being pounded continuously for the better part of two weeks, seems to have achieved one of its apparent objectives in this conflict that both sides seem to have been preparing for for many months.

Once again, as in 2006, Israeli ground forces are beginning the deadly and destructive task of entering Hamas territory on foot, exposing soldiers to deadly street-to-street, house-to-house urban combat. As seen before, this type of conflict has taken its heaviest toll on Gaza's civilian population.

While there is at least mild consensus internationally that Israel was provoked and is acting in defense, the small but powerful nation finds itself in what has become the all-too familiar and difficult position of justifying another military operation that has a produced significant amount of civilian casualties.

It is undeniable that Hamas has been responsible for heinous and deplorable acts that are both illegal and unjustifiable, but casual figures from both sides in this conflict are simply too disproportionate to ignore.

In the 14 days since the conflict began, over 800 Palestinians have been killed by air strikes, artillery barrages, Israeli armor and ground forces. In comparison, according to The Economist, Hamas was responsible for five Israeli deaths throughout 2008. Over 400 Palestinians, a fifth of them civilians, were killed by Israeli strikes last year, not counting those killed in the latest conflict.

Both sides have suffered losses, and both sides should be held responsible, but how far must the scale tip before the struggle begins to seem one-sided?

The United Nations lists Hamas as a terrorist organization, and there is no denying that the group has committed terroristic attacks against the Israeli people. But like its Lebanese counterpart Hezbollah, Hamas is also a legitimately elected political force and an established people's movement. Israel cannot hope to achieve ultimate victory through sheer force alone. Instead it must began to address the factors that have given Hamas influence among everyday Palestinians. Israel must consider the possibility that its harsh policies toward Gazans may be contributing to Hamas' popular support.

Many casual observers around the world are largely unaware of the everyday hardships facing Palestinians in Gaza. Closed borders have led to drastic shortages of necessities like fuel and food. Considering the hardships most Gazans face on a daily basis, mostly as a result of Israeli policies, it is not difficult to see how many ordinary Palestinians are driven to extremist groups like Hamas, which allow young Gazans an outlet for their anger against Israel.

In no way is this an endorsement of Hamas' actions, Israel surely has the right to ensure the safety of its people by confronting threats head-on. However the question is whether Israel has the justification for such a powerful and destructive response. It has been reported that Israel had been planning this operation for some months, waiting for the expiration of a six-month cease-fire before commencing the attack.

Depending on what perspective you choose to identify with, both Israel and Hamas are able to point to legitimate grievances as justification for this latest conflict. However these lines of thinking will never lead to a final settlement to this long struggle. Instead, both sides must realize that each is partially right, but both are ultimately wrong. Until both Israelis and Palestinians realize that all must take responsibility for this long and perpetual exchange of violence, peace will remain elusive in the Holy Land.