The war unleashed by Hamas failed to weaken Israel militarily — but did succeed in returning Palestinian aspirations to the center of world affairs. The cost, however, has been staggering. “The issue of Palestine is regionally and internationally on the center stage again, after it was almost forgotten until two years ago,” said @MkhaimarA , a professor at Al Azhar University of Gaza who now lives in Cairo. “So there is a political gain—but the Palestinian people have paid a very high price for it, the price that they never paid before.”