The reluctance of Hamas’s “military wing”—a misnomer for the more extreme elements of its extremist leadership—to accept the cease-fire designed by Egypt is, well, logical. Let’s admit it. They do not wish to accept defeat, and the Egyptian terms are a defeat for Hamas.

By attacking Israel, what has Hamas wrought? Considerable damage was done to Gaza by Israeli air power, and Gazans will be picking up the pieces for months if not longer. But Hamas proved unable to kill one single Israeli with its hundreds of rockets, and all its special tricks—tunnels, longer-range rockets, a drone—also failed. Nor could they hit an important Israeli public building, nor do much property damage.