Gaza War (2008–2009)

Over 4,000 homes destroyed; around $2bn worth of damage to Gaza * 255 policemen were killed ( PCHR ). Arab-Israeli conflict The Gaza War was a three-week armed conflict that took place in the Gaza Strip during the winter of 2008–2009. It was codenamed Operation Cast Lead ( Mivtza Oferet Yetzuka ) by the Israeli government. The conflict has been called the Gaza Massacre ( ) in the Arab world. It was referred to as the War in the South in Israeli media coverage while Al Jazeera called it the war on Gaza . Responding to a surge of border incidents, on 27 December Israel launched a wave of airstrikes against targets within the Gaza Strip with the stated aim of stopping rocket fire from and arms import into the territory. Israeli forces attacked military targets, police stations and government buildings. Hamas intensified its rocket and mortar attacks against Southern Israel, reaching the major cities of Beersheba and Ashdod for the first time. An Israeli ground invasion began on January 3, 2009. The war ended on January 18, when Israel first declared a unilateral ceasefire, followed by Hamas' announcing a one-week ceasefire twelve hours later. Israel completed its withdrawal on January 21. The conflict left between 1,166 and 1,417 Palestinians and 13 Israelis killed. In September 2009, a UN special mission , headed by Justice Richard Goldstone , produced a controversial report accusing both Palestinian militants and Israeli Defense Forces of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity, and recommended bringing those responsible to justice. The UN Human Rights Council endorsed the report, singling out Israel for criticism while ignoring Hamas actions. In January 2010, the Israeli government released a response criticizing the Goldstone Report and disputing its findings. Israel steps up attacks in Gaza; Hamas indicates it's open to a truce . By Sebastian Rotella and Rushdi abu Alouf. Field update on Gaza from the Humanitarian Coordinator. 24-26 January 2009 . OCHA oPt ( United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - occupied Palestinian territory). "Confirmed figures reveal the true extent of the destruction inflicted upon the Gaza Strip; Israel's offensive resulted in 1,417 dead, including 926 civilians, 255 police officers, and 236 fighters" (Press release). IDF releases Cast Lead casualty , The Jerusalem Post , March 26, 2009. סוכנויות הידיעות. "קצין מצרי נהרג מירי אנשי חמאס סמוך למעבר רפיח" (in Hebrew). nana10.co.il . "Gaza 'looks like earthquake zone'" news.bcc.co.uk 19 January 2009 Link retrieved 19-01-09 "Middle East | Gaza: Humanitarian situation" . Achmat weighs in on Israeli 'war architect' Sunday Times . Prusher, 'Hamas remains defiant despite pounding' Christian Science Monitor 13/01/2009" . TIMELINE - Israeli-Hamas violence since truce ended , Reuters 05-01-2009 Bright, Arthur. Israel set to launch ‘limited operation’ in Gaza , Christian Science Monitor , December 26, 2008. Israel tightens grip on urban parts of Gaza UN condemns 'war crimes' in Gaza , BBC News, September 15, 2009.

Over 4,000 homes destroyed; around $2bn worth of damage to Gaza * 255 ( PCHR ) or 265 (B'Tselem) police officers were killed. The Gaza War , also known as Operation Cast Lead ( ), or the Gaza Massacre ( ) and by Hamas as the Battle of al-Furqan ( ), was a three-week armed conflict between Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and Israel that began on 27 December 2008 and ended on 18 January 2009 in a unilateral ceasefire. Israel's stated goal was to stop rocket fire into Israel and weapons smuggling into the Gaza strip. Israeli forces attacked police stations, military targets including weapons caches and suspected rocket firing teams, as well as political and administrative institutions in the opening assault, striking in the densely populated cities of Gaza , Khan Yunis and Rafah . After hostilities broke out, Palestinian groups fired rockets in response to what they characterized as "massacres". An Israeli ground invasion began on January 3. Infantry commanders were given an unprecedented level of access to coordinate with air, naval, artillery, intelligence, and combat engineering units during this second phase. Various new technologies and hardware were also introduced. On January 5, the IDF began operating in the densely populated urban centers of Gaza. During the last week of the offensive (from 12 January), Israel mostly hit targets it had damaged before and struck Palestinian rocket-launching units. Hamas intensified its rocket and mortar attacks against civilian targets in southern Israel, reaching the major cities of Beersheba and Ashdod for the first time during the conflict. Israeli politicians ultimately decided against striking deeper within Gaza amid concerns of higher casualties on both sides and rising international criticism. The conflict ended on January 18, when Israel first declared a unilateral ceasefire, followed by Hamas' announcing a one-week ceasefire twelve hours later. Israel completed its withdrawal on January 21. The conflict resulted in between 1,166 and 1,417 Palestinian and 13 Israeli deaths (4 from friendly fire). According to the Shin Bet , after the conflict, there was a decrease in Palestinian rocket attacks . In September 2009, a UN special mission , headed by the South African Justice Richard Goldstone , produced a report accusing both Palestinian militants and the IDF of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity, and recommended bringing those responsible to justice. In January 2010, the Israeli government released a response criticizing the Goldstone Report and disputing its findings. In 2011, Goldstone wrote that he no longer believed that Israel intentionally targeted civilians in Gaza. The other authors of the report, Hina Jilani , Christine Chinkin , and Desmond Travers , rejected Goldstone's re-assessment. The United Nations Human Rights Council ordered Israel to conduct various repairs of the damages. On September 21, 2012, the United Nations Human Rights Council concluded that 75% of civilian homes destroyed in the attack were not rebuilt. The Sydney Morning Herald . Field update on Gaza from the Humanitarian Coordinator. 24–26 January 2009 . "Hamas admits 600–700 of its men were killed in Cast Lead" (November 9, 2010). BBC. 19 January 2009 "Gaza: Humanitarian situation" . The operation began in the midst of celebrating the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah ; the name "Cast Lead" ( , ) is a famous phrase from Israel's national poet Hayim Nahman Bialik 's popular Hebrew children's song "Likhvod haḤanukkah" ( ). In the song (see article in the Hebrew Wikipedia ), the child narrator is given a dreidel made of cast lead. See “ Operation Cast Lead ,” in: Gavriely-Nuri, Dalia (2013). The Normalization of War in Israeli Discourse, 1967-2008 . Die Hamas: eine pragmatische soziale Bewegung?: Eine transnationale empirische Fallanalyse der Hamas in den besetzten Gebieten, in Jordanien, im Libanon und in Syrien . Israel set to launch ‘limited operation’ in Gaza , The Christian Science Monitor , December 26, 2008. Rockets land east of Ashdod Ynetnews , December 28, 2008; Rockets reach Beersheba, cause damage , Ynetnews , December 30, 2008. Israel tightens grip on urban parts of Gaza Israeli Security Agency 2010 Annual Summary – Data and Trends in Terrorism UN condemns 'war crimes' in Gaza , BBC News, September 15, 2009.

Over 4,000 homes destroyed; around $2bn worth of damage to Gaza * 255 ( PCHR ) or 265 (B'Tselem) police officers were killed. The Gaza War , also known as Operation Cast Lead ( ), also known in the Muslim world as the Gaza Massacre ( ), and referred to as the Battle of al-Furqan ( معركة الفرقان ) by Hamas, was a three-week armed conflict between Gaza Strip Palestinian paramilitary groups and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) that began on 27 December 2008 and ended on 18 January 2009 with a unilateral ceasefire. The conflict resulted in between 1,166 and 1,417 Palestinian and 13 Israeli deaths (including 4 from friendly fire ). The Israeli government's stated goal was to stop indiscriminate Palestinian rocket fire into Israel and weapons smuggling into the Gaza strip. Hamas stated its rocket fire, which resumed in November 2008, was in response to an Israeli raid of a tunnel leading from Gaza, which it characterized as a ceasefire violation. Israel said the raid was a preemptive strike against a tunnel they believed would be used to abduct Israeli soldiers guarding the border. In the initial air assault, Israeli forces attacked police stations, military targets including weapons caches and suspected rocket firing teams, as well as political and administrative institutions in the opening assault, striking in the densely populated cities of Gaza , Khan Yunis and Rafah . After hostilities broke out, Palestinian groups fired rockets in retaliation for the aerial bombardments and attacks. The international community considers indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian structures that do not discriminate between civilians and military targets as illegal under international law . An Israeli ground invasion began on 3 January. On 5 January, the IDF began operating in the densely populated urban centers of Gaza. During the last week of the offensive (from 12 January), Israel mostly hit targets it had damaged before and struck Palestinian rocket-launching units. Hamas intensified its rocket and mortar attacks against mostly civilian targets in southern Israel, reaching the major cities of Beersheba and Ashdod for the first time during the conflict. Israeli politicians ultimately decided against striking deeper within Gaza amid concerns of higher casualties on both sides and rising international criticism. The conflict ended on 18 January, when the IDF first declared a unilateral ceasefire, followed by Hamas' announcing a one-week ceasefire twelve hours later. The IDF completed its withdrawal on 21 January. According to the Shin Bet , after the conflict, there was a decrease in Palestinian rocket attacks . In September 2009, a UN special mission , headed by the South African Justice Richard Goldstone , produced a report accusing both Palestinian militants and the IDF of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity, and recommended bringing those responsible to justice. In January 2010, the Israeli government released a response criticizing the Goldstone Report and disputing its findings. In 2011, Goldstone wrote that he no longer believed that Israel intentionally targeted civilians in Gaza. The other authors of the report, Hina Jilani , Christine Chinkin , and Desmond Travers , rejected Goldstone's re-assessment. The United Nations Human Rights Council ordered Israel to conduct various repairs of the damages. On 21 September 2012, the United Nations Human Rights Council concluded that 75% of civilian homes destroyed in the attack were not rebuilt. The Sydney Morning Herald . United Press International . 6 April 2010 . "Israeli think tank: Hamas has 20,000 armed men in Gaza Strip" , Associated Press, Haaretz , 10 April 2008 Butcher, Tim (5 January 2009). BBC. 19 January 2009 "Gaza: Humanitarian situation" . The operation began in the midst of celebrating the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah ; the name "Cast Lead" ( עופרת יצוקה , ) is a famous phrase from Israel's national poet Hayim Nahman Bialik 's popular Hebrew children's song "Likhvod haḤanukkah" ( לכבוד החנוכה ). In the song (see article in the Hebrew Wikipedia ), the child narrator is given a dreidel made of cast lead. The Normalization of War in Israeli Discourse, 1967–2008 . Just war on terror?: A Christian and Muslim response . Bombs and ballots: governance by Islamist terrorist and guerrilla groups . Al-Zaytuna Center for Studies & Consultations. Die Hamas: eine pragmatische soziale Bewegung?: Eine transnationale empirische Fallanalyse der Hamas in den besetzten Gebieten, in Jordanien, im Libanon und in Syrien [ Hamas: a pragmatic social movement?: A transnational empirical case analysis of Hamas in the occupied territories, in Jordan, in Lebanon and in Syria ] (in German). "Israel set to launch 'limited operation' in Gaza" , The Christian Science Monitor , 26 December 2008. "Gaza truce broken as Israeli raid kills six Hamas gunmen" . the Guardian . Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I), 8 June 1977 . International Committee of the Red Cross . "Hamas, Israel set independent cease-fires" , CNN International; Last Israeli troops 'leave Gaza' , BBC News, 21 January 2009. Israeli Security Agency 2010 "Annual Summary – Data and Trends in Terrorism" , Shin Bet "UN condemns 'war crimes' in Gaza" , BBC News, 15 September 2009. There are <ref group=fn> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a template (see the help page ).

Armed conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip For other conflicts called the "Gaza War", see 2012 Gaza War , 2014 Gaza War , and Gaza war . Over 4,000 homes destroyed; around $2bn worth of damage to Gaza * 255 ( PCHR ) or 265 (B'Tselem) police officers were killed. The Gaza War , also known as the First Gaza War , Operation Cast Lead ( Hebrew : מִבְצָע עוֹפֶרֶת יְצוּקָה ), or the Gaza Massacre ( Arabic : مجزرة غزة ), and referred to as the Battle of al-Furqan ( معركة الفرقان ) by Hamas , was a three-week armed conflict between Gaza Strip Palestinian paramilitary groups and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) that began on 27 December 2008 and ended on 18 January 2009 with a unilateral ceasefire. The conflict resulted in 1,166–1,417 Palestinian and 13 Israeli deaths. Over 46,000 homes were destroyed in Gaza, making more than 100,000 people homeless. A six month long ceasefire between Israel and Hamas ended on 4 November, when the IDF made a raid into Deir al-Balah , central Gaza to destroy a tunnel, killing several Hamas militants. Israel said the raid was a preemptive strike and Hamas intended to abduct further Israeli soldiers, while Hamas characterized it as a ceasefire violation, and responded with rocket fire into Israel . Attempts to renew a truce between Israel and Hamas were unsuccessful. On December 27, Israel began Operation Cast Lead with the stated aim of stopping rocket fire. In the initial air assault, Israel attacked police stations, military targets including weapons caches and suspected rocket firing teams, as well as political and administrative institutions, striking in the densely populated cities of Gaza , Khan Yunis and Rafah . After hostilities broke out, Palestinian groups fired rockets in retaliation for the aerial bombardments and attacks. The international community considers indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian structures that do not discriminate between civilians and military targets as illegal under international law . An Israeli ground invasion began on 3 January. On 5 January, the IDF began operating in the densely populated urban centers of Gaza. During the last week of the offensive (from 12 January), Israel mostly hit targets it had damaged before and struck Palestinian rocket-launching units. Hamas intensified its rocket and mortar attacks against mostly civilian targets in southern Israel, reaching the major cities of Beersheba and Ashdod for the first time during the conflict. Israeli politicians ultimately decided against striking deeper within Gaza amid concerns of higher casualties on both sides and rising international criticism. The conflict ended on 18 January, when the IDF first declared a unilateral ceasefire, followed by Hamas' announcing a one-week ceasefire twelve hours later. The IDF completed its withdrawal on 21 January. In September 2009, a UN special mission , headed by the South African Justice Richard Goldstone , produced a report accusing both Palestinian militants and the Israeli army of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity, and recommended bringing those responsible to justice. In 2011, Goldstone wrote that he does not believe that Israel intentionally targeted civilians in Gaza as a matter of explicit policy. The other authors of the report, Hina Jilani , Christine Chinkin , and Desmond Travers , stated that no new evidence had been gathered that disputed the report's findings. The United Nations Human Rights Council ordered Israel to conduct various repairs of the damage. On 21 September 2012, the United Nations Human Rights Council concluded that 75% of civilian homes destroyed in the attack were not rebuilt. The Sydney Morning Herald . "Israeli think tank: Hamas has 20,000 armed men in Gaza Strip" , Associated Press, Haaretz , 10 April 2008 Butcher, Tim (5 January 2009). "קצין מצרי נהרג מירי אנשי חמאס סמוך למעבר רפיח" [Egyptian officer killed by Hamas near the Rafah crossing] (in Hebrew). nana 10. BBC. 19 January 2009 "Gaza: Humanitarian situation" . The Endless Quest for Israeli-Palestinian Peace . The operation began in the midst of celebrating the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah ; the name "Cast Lead" ( עופרת יצוקה , Hebrew pronunciation: [ofeʁet jetsuka] ) is a famous phrase from Israel's national poet Hayim Nahman Bialik 's popular Hebrew children's song "Likhvod haḤanukkah" ( לכבוד החנוכה ). In the song (see article in the Hebrew Wikipedia ), the child narrator is given a dreidel made of cast lead. The Normalization of War in Israeli Discourse, 1967–2008 . Just war on terror?: A Christian and Muslim response . Bombs and ballots: governance by Islamist terrorist and guerrilla groups . Al-Zaytuna Center for Studies & Consultations. Die Hamas: eine pragmatische soziale Bewegung?: Eine transnationale empirische Fallanalyse der Hamas in den besetzten Gebieten, in Jordanien, im Libanon und in Syrien [ Hamas: a pragmatic social movement?: A transnational empirical case analysis of Hamas in the occupied territories, in Jordan, in Lebanon and in Syria ] (in German). "Gaza truce broken as Israeli raid kills six Hamas gunmen" . the Guardian . "Israel set to launch 'limited operation' in Gaza" , The Christian Science Monitor , 26 December 2008. Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I), 8 June 1977 . International Committee of the Red Cross . "UN condemns 'war crimes' in Gaza" , BBC News, 15 September 2009.