NAHAL OZ, Israel — The last Friday of Ramadan again brought thousands of Palestinians to the fence that separates the Gaza Strip from Israel for a day of peaceful protests, or violent riots, depending on which side you support in the conflict. For me, it was a chance to see things the way Israeli soldiers do.

From the drive through smoldering fields and scorched earth to the berms atop which snipers peer through powerful binoculars to compensate for the fog of war — or whatever this fight should be called — there were new signs of damage and destruction, new adjustments in tactics on both sides, but few reasons to think the clashes would end anytime soon.