An interesting pattern emerges as one looks at the daily Qassam totals.
Israel drastically reduced its operations in Gaza around March 6 and a tacit agreement seemed to take hold where both sides would observe a "calm." But Islamic Jihad, in the beginning, religiously fired 1 rocket per day at Israel, as well as the usual round of mortars at the crossings where humanitarian aid crosses into Gaza.
This pattern remained until Israel killed four terrorists in Bethlehem, which the Gazans considered a violation of the nonexistent truce and they shot dozens of rockets over a couple of days. Israel stuck by its calm.
Now, the number of rockets being shot is slowly being ramped up again - today there were 4.
This is almost exactly what happened during the "calm" announced in November 2006. Israel stopped all attacks in Gaza, but the rockets kept coming, a couple a day, slowly increasing over time until Israel finally resumed its policy of attacking rocket launching cells - after four months of constantly rising attacks.
Meanwhile, residents of Sderot are learning once again that their lives are worthless according to the current government of Israel. When Ashkelon gets attacked with a couple of Grads, Israel goes on the offensive; but the daily Qassams to Sderot are considered, now as then, to be a price Israel is willing to pay.
All while Hamas continues to smuggle in more rocket components and explosives.
Just like before.
