The Impact Operation Cast Lead Could Have on the $4b. Treasure off the Gazan Coast

In addition to the very difficult long-term security concerns that are sure to arise from Operation Cast Lead, the long-overdue Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip has also raised a number of ancillary questions that will need to be addressed over the coming weeks, including the future of key offshore natural gas supplies.
About a year and a half ago, I reported for The Jerusalem Post that Israel and the UK-based BG Group were trying to come to an agreement for the purchase of natural gas from a BG-owned gas field off the coast of the Gaza Strip.
A little background to the story- In 1999, after paying the PA an undisclosed amount, BG, along with its partner Consolidated Contractors Corporations, had acquired the concession to survey for natural gas in 1,000 square kilometers of the Gaza Marine area. The two set about conducting extensive seismic tests to determine if the field contained the valuable gas that they had hoped for and, in early 2000, BG confirmed that the field contained a large quantity.
The PA stipulated in the contract that BG must pay them at least 10% of the royalties from any future sales of the gas.
Over the ensuring 6.5 years, BG and Israeli authorities tried to reach an agreement to pump the gas into Israel, however the two sides could ultimately not come to a satifactory decision on price.
In June 2007, the game shifted dramatically when the terrorist organization Hamas ousted the more moderate Fatah faction from power in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas then proceeded to claim that since they were now in power in the Strip, the billions of dollars in gas off the coast ultimately belonged to them, and that should Israel purchase the gas, they would have to make payments to Hamas coffers. This posed a serious problem for both Israel, which obviously was not going to pay a portion of the money to Hamas, as well as to BG, which was banned by its government from negotiating with Hamas.
Looking at our current situation, the main objective of the Israeli army in Gaza is to break down Hamas to the point where they are no longer capable of attacking Israel, but how much sweeter would an Israeli victory in Gaza be should the country demand, as part of a cease-fire with Hamas, control of the riches that are sitting at the bottom of the Gaza Marine Gas Field?
This would remove any claim that Hamas has to the money from the sale of the gas field and it would allow Israel to return rightful control of the proceeds from the sale of the gas to the PA as per their agreement with BG. Should Israel then actually succeed in purchasing the gas from BG and comply with the PA's original contract guaranteeing them 10%, Israel could stipulate to the PA how that money should best be used, mandating that certain percantages go towards strengthening their school, health, infrastructure systems, etc.