The Israel–Gaza conflict started in December 20082008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict
Part of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Date: 27 December 2008–present
Location: Gaza Strip & Southern Israel
Result: Conflict ongoing
Belligerents
Israel (IDF), Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Popular Resistance, Committees
Commanders
Ehud Barak (DefMin), Gabi Ashkenazi (CoS), Yoav Galant (SoCom)
Ismail Haniyeh, Mahmoud az-Zahar, Ahmed al-Ja'abari, Osama Mazini
Strength
176,500 (10,000 deployed, backed by tanks, artillery, gunboats and aircraft.)
10,000 - 20,000 Hamas operatives in Gaza
Casualties and losses
Killed: 6 soldiers, 3 civilians, Wounded: ~64 soldiers, ~120 civilians
Civilians killed: ~200 (Gaza officials), 137 (UN), Militants killed: 130, Police killed: 138, Total killed: 560, Wounded: 2,600 (mostly civilians).
1 Egyptian border guard officer killed and another wounded.
The 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict is part of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict and began in Gaza in December 2008. On 27 December (11:30 am local time; 9:30 am UTC) the Israel Defense Forces launched a series of airstrikes codenamed Operation Cast Lead (Hebrew: מבצע עופרת יצוקה, Mivtza Oferet Yetzuka). This is the deadliest conflict since Hamas won the Palestinian legislative election in 2006.
A six-month truce between Hamas and Israel ended on 19 December 2008. Hamas blamed Israel for not lifting the Gaza Strip blockade, and Israel blamed Hamas for increased rocket fire directed at southern Israeli towns and communities. Israel's stated objectives in this conflict are to end Palestinian rocket fire and prevent the rearming of Hamas. Hamas demands the cessation of Israeli attacks and an end to the Israeli blockade.
At least 225 people were killed on the first day of the Israeli attack, making this the single highest casualty day in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. By the first evening, Israeli Air Force fighter-bomber aircraft had bombed roughly 100 Hamas-operated security installations (including police stations, prisons, and command centers) in four minutes during the first wave of the strike. Israel also hit Hamas operated security installations in all of Gaza's main towns, including Gaza City and Beit Hanoun in the north and Khan Younis and Rafah in the south. The Israeli Navy has shelled targets in Gaza, instituting at the same time a naval blockade of Gaza, which has resulted in one naval incident with a civilian boat.
Hamas had decreased the amount of rocket and mortar attacks during the cease-fire period, and has renewed them, increasing the distance of attacks to as far away as 40 kilometres (25 mi) from the Gaza border. These attacks have resulted in civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure.
The IDF started massing infantry and armor units near the Gaza border and engaged in an active blockade of Gaza. On 3 January 2009, a ground invasion began, with mechanised infantry, armor, and artillery units, supported by armed helicopters, entering Gaza.
Both Israel and Hamas are under pressure for a humanitarian truce. While Israeli defense minister Ehud Barak intially stated that this will be a "war to the bitter end", Israeli defence officials have suggested as recently as January 6 that the operation could be "over in the next 72 hours". Hamas officials stated their openness to accepting a truce that ends the Gaza Strip blockade.
International reactions to the conflict have either condemned the Israeli operation, Hamas' attacks, or both. Many countries and organisations have called for an immediate ceasefire and have expressed concern about the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. Israel maintains that a humanitarian cease-fire is not necessary at this point.Israel's foreign minister Tzipi Livni has stated that there's no humanitarian crisis in Gaza,and that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is "completely as it should be".
This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.
Video: Can Israel actually defeat Hamas? (The Independent)
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