2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict

The 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict, part of the ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict, intensified on 27 December 2008 (11:30 a.m. local time; 9:30 a.m. UTC) when Israel launched a military campaign codenamed Operation Cast Lead (Hebrew: מבצע עופרת יצוקה‎), with the stated intent of targeting the members and infrastructure of Hamas. The conflict has been described as the Gaza Massacre (Arabic: مجزرة غزة‎) in the Arab World.

A six-month truce between Hamas and Israel expired on 19 December 2008. Contending that Israel had not lifted the Gaza Strip blockade, and that an Israeli raid on a purported cross-border tunnel in the Gaza Strip on November 4 constituted a serious breach of the truce,[52][53] Hamas resumed its rocket and mortar attacks on Israel. Hamas and Israel could not agree on conditions to extend the truce.

On 27 December 2008, Israel launched its military operation with the stated objective of halting Hamas rocket fire. Hamas demands the cessation of Israeli attacks and an end to the Gaza Strip blockade.

On the first days of the Israeli operation, the Israeli Air Force, supported by the navy, bombed Hamas bases, training camps, headquarters and offices in all of the Gaza strip. Civilian infrastructure, including mosques, houses and schools, were also attacked; Israel claims that many of these buildings stocked weapons or personnel and that it is not targeting civilians.

Hamas has intensified its rocket and mortar attacks against civilian targets in Israel throughout the conflict, hitting such cities as Beersheba and Ashdod.

On January 3, 2009, the Israeli Defence Forces ground invasion began, with mechanised infantry, armor, and artillery units, supported by helicopter gunships, entering Gaza.

International reactions during the conflict have included calls for an immediate ceasefire as in the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1860, and concern about the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the hindrances in delivering aid.

Israel announced a unilateral ceasefire with Hamas on January 18 which came in effect at 0000 UTC (2 a.m. local time). Palestinian militants fired about 20 rockets over the border after the Israeli ceasefire announcement. Israel retaliated with an airstrike. Hamas offered its own one-week unilateral ceasefire. On 21 January, Israel completed its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

As of 22 January 2009, 13 Israelis have been killed during this conflict, including three civilians. On the Palestinian side, it is estimated that 1,330 individuals have been killed. This includes 904 civilians, among them 437 children, 110 women and 123 elderly men (according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health).

Human rights groups and aid organisations have accused Hamas and Israel of war crimes and called for independant investigations and law suits.

In the days following the ceasefire, the BBC reported that more than 400,000 Gazans were left without running water. As a result of the bombings, 4,000 Gazan buildings were razedand 20,000 severely damaged), more than 50,800 Gazans were left homeless.