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2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict
Part of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Map of Gaza; Map of Region
Date December 27, 2008 – January 18, 2009 Location Gaza Strip & Southern Israel Status Israel and Hamas declare separate unilateral ceasefires
Belligerents
Israel (IDF)	Hamas (Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades) File:Fateh-logo.jpg Fatah (Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades) Islamic Jihad in Palestine (Al-Quds Brigades) File:Logoprc.jpg Popular Resistance Committees File:PFLP flag smoothed.svg Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (Abu Ali Mustapha Brigades)
Commanders and leaders
Ehud Barak (DefMin) Gabi Ashkenazi (CoS) Yoav Galant (SoCom) Eyal Eisenberg (Gaza)	Ismail Haniyeh Mahmoud az-Zahar Said Seyam  (KIA) Ahmed al-Ja'abari
Strength
176,500 (total) Backed by tanks, artillery, gunboats, and aircraft.	Hamas: 20,000 (total)
Casualties and losses
Total killed: 13 Soldiers: 10 Civilians: 3 Total wounded: 518 Soldiers: 336 Civilians: 182	Total killed: 1,330*(MoH) Militants and policemen: 390** (PCHR), ~700 (IDF) Civilians: 940***(PCHR), ~250 (IDF) Total wounded: 5,300****(MoH)
One Egyptian border guard officer killed and three guards and two children wounded. Over 50,800 Gaza residents displaced.
*Casualty figures and the civilian/combatant breakdown in Gaza cannot yet be independently verified. **231 policemen were killed (138 during initial airstrikes), they were considered by the IDF as enemy combatants and included in PCHR's militant count. ***The stated 940 civilian deaths don't include policemen. Around 789 of the deaths are: 4 UN and 14 medical workers, 13 firefighters, 4 journalists, 3 top football players, 437 children, 111 women, 123 elderly men and 40-80 people executed by Hamas. Also, two foreigners, a Ukrainian woman and her child were among the dead. ****Among the wounded there were 1,855 children and 795 women.

Template:Campaignbox Arab-Israeli conflict

The 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict, part of the ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict, started 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 (Template:Lang-he), with the stated intent of stopping Hamas rocket attacks and targeting the members and infrastructure of Hamas. The conflict has been described as the Gaza Massacre (Template:Lang-ar) 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, 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 day of the Israeli operation, the Israeli Air Force, supported by the navy, bombed Hamas bases, training camps, headquarters and offices in the Gaza strip. Civilian infrastructure, including mosques, houses and schools, were also attacked. Israel claims that many of these buildings stocked weapons or personnel.

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 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. Palestinian estimates of Palestinian deaths converge around 1,300, including about 900 civilians and the remainder being Hamas militants and police officers. IDF intelligence sources say privately that their count indicates that of a total of about 900 checked so far, only about 150 were civilians. The Israeli government has released no official figures, but says more than 700 dead were militants.

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 razed and 20,000 severely damaged), and it was reported that Gaza 'looks like earthquake zone'. More than 50,800 Gazans were left homeless.

Human rights groups and aid organisations have accused Hamas and Israel of war crimes and called for independant investigations and law suits. On January 26, the conflict took a new twist after Israeli soldiers and officials were warned against travelling to Britain over fears they could be arrested and charged with war crimes.

Background

See also: List of rocket and mortar attacks in Israel in 2001 through 2007, List of rocket and mortar attacks in Israel in 2008, 2009

The Gaza strip is one of the most densely populated places on earth. According to the CIA Factbook as of June 2007, it holds a population of 1,482,405 on an area of only 360 square kilometers (139 sq mi). Almost half of the population are children aged 14 or younger (44.7% as of June 2007).

Following its victory in the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections and the military conflict between Fatah and Hamas, Hamas assumed administrative control, with Israel and Egypt sealing their border crossings with Gaza and imposed a blockade on the territory, prohibiting all exports and allowing only enough goods to avert a humanitarian or health crisis. The blockade was bypassed by tunnels, some of which were used for weapons smuggling. Hamas and other Palestinian paramilitias increased the number of Qassam rockets, Grad type rockets and mortars fired from the Gaza strip into Southern Israel. Israel conducted airstrikes on Gaza during 2007 and 2008, against Hamas and other targets.

Hamas considers Israel an illegitimate state and is doctrinally committed to its destruction, while Israel views Hamas as a terrorist group that must be dismantled.

2008 lull

On June 19, 2008, an Egyptian-brokered pause in hostilities between Israel and Hamas, consisting of a six-month 'lull', translating the Arabic term Tahdia, went into effect 'for the Gaza area'. According to The New York Times, neither side fully respected the terms of the cease-fire.

The June 19 agreement required Hamas to end rocket attacks upon Israel in exchange for an end of the blockade and for commerce in Gaza to be restored to the level preceding Israel's withdrawal in 2005 and Hamas's electoral victory. Israeli policy tied the easing of the blockade to success in reducing rocket fire. Israel re-opened supply lines gradually, permitting a 20% increase in goods trucked into Gaza in the pre-lull period.

Israel accused Hamas of continuing the smuggling of weapons into the Gaza strip via tunnels to Egypt, pointing out that the rocket attacks had not completely ceased.. Hamas criticized Israel for maintaining the Blockade of the Gaza Strip. On the 18th of December, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Palestinian Hamas, reported 185 Israeli violations in the lull period.

Rocket fire decreased 98% in the four and a half months between June 18 and November 4 in comparison with the four and half months preceding the ceasefire. The Israeli Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center notes that "Hamas was careful to maintain the ceasefire" until November 4, when the ceasefire was "seriously eroded." . Hamas denied responsibility for the rockets that were fired and, 'even imprisoned some of those who were firing rockets'. Nevertheless, Human Rights Watch complained to Hamas that some rocket firing militants were summarily released without an explanation.

Conflict escalates

On November 4, 2008, Israeli military raided a Hamas-dug tunnel between Gaza and Israel on the Gazan side of the border. The IDF claimed it was intended for the capture of Israeli soldiers, while Hamas, and according to Robert Pastor one IDF source, maintained it was for defensive purposes. As six members of Hamas were killed, it considered this attack a "massive breach of the truce," and rocket attacks towards Israeli cities around Gaza increased sharply in November 2008, approaching the pre-truce levels. According to a November 17 article in The Telegraph, "since violence flared on Nov 5, Israeli forces and militants, some of them from Hamas, have engaged in almost daily tit-for-tat exchanges."

On December 13, 2008, Israel announced that it was in favor of extending the cease-fire, provided Hamas adhered to its conditions. The conditions posed by a Hamas delegation in Cairo on December 14, were that the parties return to the original Hamas-Israel ceasefire arrangement. Hamas would undertake to stop all rocket attacks against Israel if the Israelis would agree to open up the border crossings, not to reduce commercial traffic thereafter, and not to launch attacks in Gaza. At an Israeli Cabinet meeting on December 21, Yuval Diskin, the head of Israel's internal security agency, stated that Hamas was"interested in continuing the truce, but wants to improve its terms"... "It wants us to lift the siege , stop attacks, and extend the truce to include ,"

On December 20 Hamas officially announced that they would not be extending the cease-fire, which had expired on December 19, citing Israeli border closures as the primary reason, and resumed its shelling of the western Negev. Hamas blamed Israel for the end of the ceasefire, saying it had not respected its terms, including the lifting of the blockade, under which little more than humanitarian aid has been allowed into Gaza. Israel said it initially began easing the blockade, but resumed it when Hamas failed to fulfill the agreed conditions, including ending all rocket fire and halting weapons smuggling.

On December 23, in an Egyptian newspaper interview Mahmoud al-Zahar, a senior Hamas leader, said that his group was willing to renew the hudna if Israel refrained from operating in Gaza, and lifted its blockade of the Gaza strip. The same day the IDF killed three Palestinian militants, stating that the militants were planting explosives on the Gaza border. Israel was also reluctant to open the border crossings, which had been closed since November. On December 24 the Negev was hit by more than 60 mortar shells and Katyusha and Qassam rockets, and the IDF was given a green light to operate. Hamas claimed to have fired a total of 87 rockets and mortar rounds that day at Israel, code-naming the firing "Operation Oil Stain".

On December 25, 2008, Israeli Prime Minister, after Israel had "wrapped up preparations for a broad offensive", Ehud Olmert delivered a 'Last Minute' Warning in an interview with the Arabic language satellite channel al-Arabiya. "I am telling them now, it may be the last minute, I'm telling them stop it. We are stronger," he claimed.

On December 26, 2008, Israel reopened five crossings between Israel and Gaza for humanitarian supplies. At the same time, militants fired about a dozen rockets and mortar shells from Gaza at Israel on Friday. Fuel was allowed in for Gaza's main power plant and about 100 trucks loaded with grain, humanitarian aid and other goods were expected during the day. Rocket attacks continued — about a dozen rockets and mortar bombs were fired from Gaza into Israel, one accidentally striking a northern Gaza house and killing two Palestinian sisters, aged five and thirteen, while wounding a third. According to Israeli defense officials, the subsequent December 27th Israeli offensive took Hamas by surprise, thereby increasing their casualties.

Campaign

Israeli offensive

Air strikes

Israel launched its military operation, Operation Cast Lead, at 11:30 a.m., December 27, when more than 50 fighter jets and attack helicopters entered Gazan airspace, killing 225-292 Palestinians and wounding more than 1,000. The IAF dropped more than 100 bombs on 50 targets, which included Hamas paramilitary bases, training camps, and underground Kassam launchers. It also hit Hamas headquarters, government offices and police stations.

About 140 members of Hamas security forces were killed, including police chief Tawfiq Jabber, the head of Hamas’ security and protection unit and the police commander for central Gaza, along with at least 15 civilians. Children were reported among the casualties. Attacks on police in Gaza were justified by Israel on the grounds that they are "combatants"; however, human rights groups say that police, even if affiliated with Hamas, are not combatants and do not represent legitimate targets unless they are actively engaged in hostilities.

Some Palestinians call this day Massacre of the Black Saturday because of the magnitude of casualties inflicted. The Israeli attack is considered to be the bloodiest one-day death toll in 60 years of conflict with the Palestinians.

Following the first day of air raids, the Israeli Air Force continued to inflict massive damage in the coming week to the Palestinian infrastructure. Among their targets were ministerial buildings, Hamas training camps, offices of the Popular Resistance Committees, of homes of Hamas commanders. The IDF sources noted: "Destruction of hundreds of Hamas leaders' homes as one of the keys to the offensive's success. The homes serve as weapons warehouses and headquarters, and shelling them has seriously hindered Hamas capabilities." A number of high-ranking Hamas commanders were killed in the attacks, including: Nizar Rayan, Abu Zakaria al-Jamal, Jamal Mamduch and others. Many of the killed Hamas leaders had died along with their families in their own homes. By January 3, 2009, the death toll among Palestinians was at 400, 25% of them civilians.

Airstrikes continued throughout the ground invasion that followed. The Independent reported that as of January 15, Israeli forces had carried out 2,360 airstrikes in the Gaza Strip.

Warnings

According to the Israeli government and the UN, there were widespread warnings of attacks in the form of telephone calls or leaflets dropped by the IDF to the people of Gaza. In an attempt to reduce civilian casualties, Israel has employed what the IDF has named "roof knocking". Before a target is bombed, the building in question receives a telephone call in Arabic warning to evacuate the building. The procedure, which was used in the assassination of Nizar Rayan, has been described as a form of "psychological warfare" by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights.

Following warnings, Hamas has asked residents to gather on rooftops in order to keep buildings from being bombed. The IAF has countered this tactic by firing dummy missiles designed specifically not to explode onto buildings in order to scare the residents into leaving, after which they can destroy the buildings.

In addition, Israel warns civilian residents in areas where military operation is being escalated by dropping leaflets that read, "The IDF is not working against the people of Gaza but against Hamas and the terrorists only. Stay safe by following our orders." The UN reported that in some cases the strikes occurred only five minutes after the flee call. Given the high population density in Gaza and the proximity between their homes, this has caused considerable panic and uncertainty among residents. Both Amnesty International and the United Nations report that in the densely populated areas of Gaza there are no "safe" places for civilians.

Ground invasion

IDF infantry and armor units amassed near the Gaza border on December 28, engaging in an active blockade of the strip. On December 29, Hamas fired rocket barrages into Israeli territory, killing an Israeli soldier and three civilians. On the evening of January 3, Israel launched its ground operation with troops entering Gaza for the first time since the operation began. The intention of the ground invasion, termed the 'second stage' of Operation Cast Lead, according to the Israeli Defense Forces website, is to secure areas within the Gaza strip from which rockets have been launched even after the previous Israeli operations.

Israeli ground troops entered Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza in the early hours. Israeli forces reportedly bisected Gaza and surrounded Gaza City, but restricted their movements to areas that were not heavily urbanised. One Israeli soldier was killed in the offensive and another seriously wounded. The Israeli military said forty sites had been targeted, including targets for weapons depots and rocket launch sites.

On January 3, the IDF attacked the Ibrahim al-Maqadna mosque in Beit Lahiya after the evening prayer. Witnesses said over 200 Palestinians were inside at the time. Thirteen people, including six "believed to be under the age of 18,", were killed, and thirty wounded. Israel has accused Hamas of using this mosque, and others, to hide weapons and ammunition. Another three Hamas commanders were killed on January 4: Hussam Hamdan, Muhammad Hilou and Mohammed Shalpokh.

As Israeli tanks and troops seized control of large parts of the Gaza Strip, tens of thousands of Gazans fled their homes amidst artillery and gunfire, and flooded into the heart of Gaza city. Gun battles broke out between Israel and Hamas on the streets of Gaza as Israel surrounded the city. On January 6, at least 125 Palestinians were killed. 1 Israeli soldier was killed in an exchange of fire with Hamas militants, with an additional 4 Israeli soldiers killed and 24 wounded when an Israeli tank mistakenly fired on their position. The crew had believed that the position was occupied by enemy fighters. In response to incoming mortar fire, the IDF shelled a U.N. school resulting in the death of over 40 Palestinian civilians.

Despite the ground operation by the IDF rocket attacks by Hamas continued against southern Israel from Gaza city center.

Attack on Gaza City

On the morning of January 11, the IDF started the third stage of the operation with an attack on the suburbs of Gaza City. Israeli forces pushed into the south of the city and reached a key junction to its north. During their advance Hamas and Islamic Jihad ambushed Israeli troops at several locations and heavy fighting ensued. Additionally, the IAF reported that Hamas operatives had tried to shoot down an IAF fixed wing aircraft with anti-aircraft missiles for the first time since operations in Gaza began. Heavy machine gun fire against helicopters had also been unsuccessful.

On January 12, the IDF reported that it started deploying reserve forces in Gaza.

On January 13, Israeli tanks continued their advance toward the headquarters of Hamas' preventative security building from the al-Karramah neighborhood in the northwest and the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood in the northeast. Before dawn, during the night, troops advanced 300 yards into Tel al-Hawa, a neighborhood which has several high-rise buildings. As troops entered the narrow streets heavy street fighting with militants ensued leaving 3 Israeli soldiers wounded and 30 Hamas militants dead or wounded, according to the IDF. By morning IDF soldiers were still advancing slowly towards the city center and several buildings were in flames in Tel al-Hawa, where most of the fighting took place.

On January 15, Israeli artillery started a bombardment of the city while fighting was still going on in the streets. Three high-rise buildings were shelled. The Israeli military reported to have killed dozens of militants, since breaching the city limits four days earlier, while they suffered 20-25 soldiers wounded. Among buildings shelled were the al-Quds hospital, Gaza's second-largest, in the Tal El Hawa district; the Al-Shuruq Tower's 13th floor, housing journalists: and the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Because of this, the United Nations stopped humanitarian aid in and outside the Gaza Strip. There is evidence Hamas launched Grad type rockets from Al-Shuruq Tower Media Office Building area.

Humanitarian ceasefires

After Israel faced mounting international pressure for a ceasefire in the wake of the UNRWA school attack, it announced the three-hour "humanitarian truce" on January 7, and opened a "humanitarian corridor" to allow aid supplies to reach Gazans. The Israeli army promised to refrain from attacks between 1 and 4 pm (UTC+2). Hamas responded that they would respect (this initial) ceasefire, 80 aid trucks entered the strip, and Israel delivered industrial fuel for Gaza's power plant. Israel has repeated this ceasefire either daily or every other day. Fighting at large resumed immediately following the end of the truce. Aid officials and the UN welcomed the truce, praising it, but said it was not enough.

Despite the cessation of hostilities, a UN aid convoy was fired upon, and two aid workers were killed. The UN initially placed blame on Israeli tank fire, though on January 10, an Israeli investigation found that the IDF was not to blame since the UN's sources admitted "that they were not sure in which direction the truck was headed when it was hit, and could also not say with certainty that tank shells were responsible." The UN said the delivery had been coordinated with Israel, and Chris Gunness, a UN spokesman, said that aid shipments were being suspended until the safety of UN staff could be guaranteed. As of January 8, four UNRWA aid workers had been killed over the course of the offensive. On January 9, the UN said its aid workers will resume movement in the Gaza strip, having received assurances from Israel that they are not being targeted. A report in the Israeli media alleged that Hamas fired mortar shells on January 10, as supplies were crossing the Kerem Shalom border crossing.

Palestinian militant activity

While the Qassam Brigades of Hamas were the major fighting force, other factions have claimed responsibility for rockets fired into Israel and attacks on Israeli soldiers, including Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, an armed wing affiliated with Fatah, as well as the Abu Ali Mustapha Brigades of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), the Quds Brigades of Islamic Jihad and the Popular Resistance Councils.A Fatah official stated that the rocket attacks by his faction contradicted the official position of Mahmoud Abbas, Fatah leader and President of the Palestinian National Authority. Abbas had called on both sides to cease hostilities unconditionally. Political representatives for Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the PFLP, Saiqa, the Popular Struggle Front, the Revolutionary Communist Party, Palestinian Liberation Organisation, Fatah's 'Intifada' faction, and a number of other Palestinian factions in Syria formed a temporary alliance during the offensive, issuing a statement that refused "any security arrangements that affect the resistance and its legitimate right to struggle against the occupation" and refused the presence of international forces in Gaza. The coalition also affirmed that any peace initiatives must include an end to the economic blockade, and an opening of all of Gaza's crossings, including the Rafah crossing with Egypt.

Rocket attacks into Israel

Palestinians increased their rocket attacks on southern Israeli cities and communities during the conflict. The strike range of these rockets has increased from 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) to 40 kilometres (25 mi) since early 2008. These attacks have resulted in civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure. Palestinian militants also began to deploy improved Qassam and Grad rockets with a range of 40 kilometers.. Rockets reached major Israeli cities Ashkelon, Beersheba and Gedera for the first time, putting one-eighth of Israel's population in rocket range and raising concerns about the safety of the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, Israel's largest population center. As of January 13, Palestinian militants had launched approximately 565 rockets and 200 mortars at Israel since the beginning of the conflict, according to Israeli security sources. It is reported that 102 rockets and 35 mortars were fired by Fatah, Hamas's chief rival.

On December 27 a rocket hit a house in Netivot, killing one and wounding six. Another rocket hit a synagogue in the Eshkol Regional Council on the same day, injuring two. On December 29 a Grad rocket hit Ashkelon, killing an Israeli-Arab construction worker and seriously wounding three other people. Rockets killed two more Israelis after nightfall. On December 30 a Grad missile landed in an empty kindergarten in Beersheba, causing damage. On the following morning, a rocket hit the Makif Alef high school in the city. Neither incident resulted in casualties, as schools in the area were closed due to rocket threats. On January 3, rockets hit, among other targets, an apartment building in Ashdod, wounding two, as well as a playground in Ashkelon and a cafeteria in a kibbutz bordering the Gaza Strip. On January 6, a rocket hit Gedera for the first time, injuring a 3-month-old girl. On January 11, several rocket barrages were fire during the temporary cease-fire, one hitting the outer wall of a kindergarten in Ashdod and another exploding adjacent to a school in Sderot which had recently been reopened.

Engagement with Israeli forces

Hamas representatives claimed they were fighting with the aid of armored vehicles and weapons confiscated from the Palestinian National Authority, given by Israel, the United States and other countries. Hamas claimed that they hoped to bog Israeli forces down in heavy fighting and inflict heavy casulties on the Israelis. A Hamas fighter reported that the group has prepared a tunnel network in Gaza city that would allow Hamas to engage the IDF in urban warfare. Other tactics include suicide bombers, wearing civilian clothes and attempts to capture IDF soldiers. Ron Ben-Yishai, an Israeli military correspondent embedded with invading ground forces, stated that entire blocks of houses were booby-trapped and wired in preparation for urban confrontation with the IDF. Hamas also resorted to launching rocket barrages into Israeli territory in an attempt to kill Israeli soldiers and civilians outside of Gaza Hamas has sent messages to Israeli citizens' mobile phones, warning "rockets on all cities, shelters will not protect you." BBC News quoted Hamas run media sources saying that Hamas captured two IDF soldiers during the ground offensive, though the Israeli army has declared this to be an attempt at spreading demoralising disinformation.

The New York Times quotes a study about to be published by the Israel-based Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, an independent research group that has close ties to the Israeli military establishment, saying that Hamas has methodically built its military infrastructure in the heart of population centers. According to the study, Hamas not only hides among the population, but has made a main component of its combat strategy “channeling” the army into the most densely populated areas to fight.

In a January 13 story, a Hamas militant who was willing to be anonymously interviewed by The New York Times reporters stated that “I’m a civilian, and I’m a fighter". He claimed that the small and enclosed nature of the Gaza strip meant that he had nowhere to stay except in civilian areas, saying that “Where do we go... There are no other places.” He also claimed that most Palestinian residents accept and shelter Hamas militants who hide amongst them. The New York Times stated on January 10 that "Unwilling to take Israel’s bait and come into the open, Hamas militants are fighting in civilian clothes; even the police have been ordered to take off their uniforms."

Israel claims to have found a map, which, it argues, shows "'the deployment of explosives and Hamas forces' in the Al-Attara neighborhood in northern Gaza." This map allegedly shows that Hamas has placed many explosives and firing positions in residential areas, several mosques, and even next to a gas station. Israel concedes these are designed to kill Israeli soldiers, but says that they put the local population in extreme danger.

Executions of Palestinians

During the conflict Hamas executed Gazans it classified as being collaborators with Israel. In a 24-hour period at the end of December, Hamas militants executed six Palestinians in Shifa Hospital. According to the New York Times, the suspected collaborators had been in prison awaiting trial when Israel destroyed the prison. They were then transferred to the hospital and their trials "short-circuited." By January 3, according to the Jerusalem Post, "sources close to Hamas claimed the group had executed more than 35 Palestinians." According to Ynet News, on January 6-7 Hamas executed six suspected collaborators, among them three brothers. An eyewitness told Ynet News that the three were executed on the street after confessing to collaborating with Israel in the presence of their sister, who publicly condemned and disowned them. By January 8, Haaretz reported estimates of the total number of executed as 40-80, many of them in secret. Shin Bet Chief Yuval Diskin on January 11 accused Hamas of killing 70 supporters of Fatah under the cover of war.

In addition, Hamas arrested those it suspected of membership in Fatah, sometimes committing acts of violence against them such as beating and systematic shooting in the legs. Fatah officials said that in the first week of the conflict, at least 75 Fatah activists were shot in the legs by Hamas, while others had their hands broken. Following the ceasefire, Fatah officials said that Hamas had converted several hospitals and schools into "torture centers"; a Fatah official claimed that at least 100 of his men had been killed or wounded by Hamas and that some of them had been brutally tortured. Hamas Interior Ministry spokesman Ihab al-Ghussein called the allegations "lies" but said the group was rounding up suspected collaborators with Israel.

Attacks on Israel from outside Gaza

In addition to the rockets fired from Gaza, Israel claims to have experienced other attacks from outside of Gaza. To date, no parties have claimed responsibility for these attacks.

On January 8, 2009, three Katyusha type rockets were fired at the northern Israeli city of Nahariyya from Lebanon, injuring two Israeli civilians in a Retirement home. IDF returned fire at the launch sites. No party has claimed responsibility for this attack. Hezbollah promised to undertake an investigation. The attack was condemned by the Lebanese government, which arrested seven individuals suspected of involvement.

On January 11, Israeli soldiers performing engineering work in the Golan Heights claimed to have come under fire from unidentified gunmen from the Syrian-controlled parts of the Golan. On January 13, an Israeli army patrol on the Jordanian border was fired upon by unknown gunmen from the Jordanian side of the border. There were no casualties in either incident.

On January 14, 2009, at least three Katyusha rockets were fired at Israeli towns from within Lebanon, sending civilians in the Golan and Galilee regions into shelters, and prompting IDF artillery response aimed at the rocket launchers. No casualties were reported and no responsibility for the attack was claimed.

Incidents

Incidents in the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict include the following:

• Dignity: On December 29, 2008, the Israeli navy confronted Dignity, a Free Gaza Movement sailboat carrying medical aid, and prevented it from reaching the Gaza Strip. The boat's passengers, including a journalist from CNN, alleged that their boat was "rammed" and shot at by Israeli vessels, while Israel, though confirming that there was "physical contact" with boat, denied the allegation.
• 2009 Ibrahim al-Maqadna Mosque strike: On January 3, 2009, the IDF attacked the Ibrahim al-Maqadna mosque holding 200 worshipers, killing 12 people, including 6 children. Israel has previously accused Hamas militants of hiding in mosques.
• al-Fakhura school incident: On January 6, 2009, Israel struck a UNRWA run school holding 400 Palestinians, killing 40 civilians. A preliminary IDF investigation concluded that the school was hit by a stray tank mortar while shelling a team that had been launching Qassam rockets from a yard adjacent to the school. The UN had previously stated that no militants were inside the school.
• Zeitoun incident: Gazans, speaking to the UN and other news sources, claimed that on January 5, Israeli troops ordered nearly 100 Palestinians of the Samouni family into a building it was 24 hours later allegedly to shell, killing 30 people and wounding many more.The Israeli military said it was responding to continued rocket fire into Israel from Hamas, and reiterated that they do not deliberately target civilians. The military said that Israel troops had not yet reached that area at that time the attack was reported on January 4th.
• UN Headquarters: On January 15, the IDF shelled the UN headquarters in Gaza where hundreds were sheltering, allegedly with white phosphorus. 3 people were injured and hundreds of tons food and fuel were destroyed, drawing condemnation from European countries. Israel claimed Hamas fired from the site, but apologised for the "very sad consequences" calling its attack a "grave error". After the UNRWA dismissed the Israeli claim as "nonsense" Israel ordered an army investigation into the incident.
• On January 16, Dr. Ezzeldeen Abu al-Aish, an Israeli-trained doctor of Gaza, and regular figure on Israel’s Channel 10 where he reported on the medical crisis, broke down when contacted for his nightly report by informing viewers that he had just lost three daughters and a niece in the fighting, prompting numerous calls of concern to the station from people who know him. The cause is disputed, being either an IDF tank shell that hit his home, or a Hamas rocket. Two surviving daughters were transported for treatment of their wounds to Tel Ha-Shomer Hospital in Tel Aviv.
• Israeli tank fire hit a school run by UNRWA, sheltering 1,600 people, in the northern town of Beit Lahiya on January 17. Two children were killed, and 14 people were wounded.

2009

On 17 January, Israeli officials announced a unilateral ceasefire, without an agreement with Hamas. In a press conference, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared the ceasefire effective that night at 2400 GMT. The Israeli ceasefire was first suggested by Livni and consists of two phases worked out by Ehud Barak: "First a ceasefire is declared. If Hamas stops firing rockets then Israel pulls its forces out of the Gaza Strip. If rocket fire resumes then the IDF goes back in, this time with the international backing gained by having tried a truce." Olmert declared that the military objectives had been met.

Hamas initially "vowed to fight on", and responded that any continued Israeli presence in Gaza would be regarded as an act of war. Farzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman, said before the ceasefire began, "The occupier must halt his fire immediately and withdraw from our land and lift his blockade and open all crossings and we will not accept any one Zionist soldier on our land, regardless of the price that it costs." Palestinian militants resumed rocket fire at Israeli communities the following Sunday morning, four of the supposed six fired landed in or near the town of Sderot. The Israeli military returned fire and carried out an air strike against the rocket launching squad in the northern Gaza Strip.

On the 18 of January, in the afternoon, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other paramilitias stated they would stop launching rockets into Israel for one week, on condition that Israel would withdraw its military within this period.

The first death after the ceasefire was a Palestinian farmer who was shot dead by an Israeli soldier while checking his farm in Khan Younis, on January 18 morning. The Israeli army said they shot the farmer because he was approaching land occupied at that moment by Israeli ground troops. Another incident took place on Tuesday afternoon when Gaza gunmen fired at IDF patrols in two separate incidents near the Kissufim border crossing, in central Gaza, and in southern Gaza - IDF returned fire. No one was wounded and no damage was reported. Also, eight mortar shells were fired from the central Gaza Strip. Most shells apparently landed in Palestinian areas. The IAF targeted and hit one of the mortar launchers. Shelling of mortars continued Tuesday night and 3-4 shells were fired into the Eshkol Regional Council. No casualties were reported. Witnesses report a farmer was shot dead by the Israel Defense Forces while approaching his farm in Jabalia, while two children were killed when ordinance left behind by Israeli troops in Gaza City exploded. However, according to UPI, officials reported that two children died on the 19th of January playing with a Hamas mine.

On January 21, Israeli troops completed their pullout from the Gaza Strip. The last Israeli soldier believed to be on Gaza soil is Gilad Shalit, and the government of Israel has stated that it will not lift the blockade of Gaza until there is progress in the Shalit negotiations. Hamas sees the two issues as compeletely seperate and refuses to release Shalit and continues to deny Gilad Shalit rights to Red Cross (ICRC) visitation in a violation of international law, action called by human rights organization B'Tselem "war crime".

Casualties

Gaza strip

According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, 4,336 Gazans were wounded and 1,284 killed with 894 of the killed civilians, including 280 children and minors, age 17 and under, as well as 111 women. Of the remaining 390 dead, 167 were members of Hamas' civil police and 223 were combatants. An unknown number of Hamas commanders killed in "non-combat situations" were included in the count by the PCHR research team. The World Health Organization reported that 16 health personnel were killed and 22 injured while on duty over the course of the offensive. UNRWA reported that 5 of its staff members, 1 Job Creation Programme (JCP) beneficiary, and 3 contractors were killed, while 11 staff members, 2 JCP beneficiaries and 4 contractors injured. The World Food Programme reported 1 contractor killed and 2 injured.

According to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health, a total of 1,324 Gazans were killed and about 5,400 injured. The dead include 437 children, age 18 and under, 110 women, 123 elderly men, 14 medics and four journalists, the wounded include 1890 children and 200 people in serious condition. 158 dead fighters are acknowledged by Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other militant groups.

Israeli Intelligence says that the overall Gaza death toll was less than 1300 and that their count indicated that only around 150 civilians (children, women, elderly) were killed. Furthermore Israel puts the Hamas death toll above 700 - "We know their names," Barak said. Israel also claimed it had captured 120 Hamas gunmen.

Hamas gunmen publicly executed several suspected collaborators with Israel and Fatah members. Israeli and Fatah sources reported that in all between 40 and 80 Palestinians were executed and 75 wounded by Hamas.

Several prominent members of Hamas and its military wing had been killed during the offensive, including Chief of Gaza Police Tawfiq Jabber, Interior Minister Said Seyam, top religious cleric Nizar Rayyan, and head of the General Security Service Salah Abu Shrakh. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad confirmed the death of its fighter Wajih Mushtahi, who had also been a member of Palestine's Olympic team. Fatah confirmed that their rocket cells commander, Ali Hijazi, had been killed. At least two fighters of the An-Nasser Brigades faction were also killed. In all, militant groups reported 158 of their fighters were killed, not counting the policemen.

Islam Shahwan, the Hamas-rule Police forces spokesman told a news conference held in Gaza that "General Tawfiq Jabber and 230 police officers and police men were killed.

A Palestinian doctor quoted in an Italian newspaper report claimed that Hamas was intentionally exaggerating the number of deaths. The unnamed doctor said that "no more than" 500 to 600 had died, and that most of the dead were young men aged 17 to 23, whom Hamas had send out to fight.

Ayman al-Kurd, a former member of the Palestine national football team was killed by Israeli shelling.

According to The New York Times, Palestinian residents and Israeli officials say that Hamas was tending its own wounded in separate medical centers, not in public hospitals, and that it was difficult to know the number of dead Hamas fighters, many of whom were not wearing uniforms.

Some Palestinian civilians criticized Hamas for "forcing them to stay in homes from which gunmen shot at Israeli soldiers," thereby creating a situation in which, if Israel bombed these homes, civilians would inevitably be killed.

Israel

Three Israeli civilians were killed by rocket and mortar attacks since the Gaza offensive began. 182 civilians were wounded during the conflict. Among civilians: 4 critically wounded, 11 moderately wounded, and 167 lightly wounded.

One IDF soldier was killed by rocket and mortar attacks since the Gaza offensive began. Nine soldiers have been killed in fighting in Gaza itself, of which four were killed by friendly tank fire in two accidents. 336 soldiers were wounded during the conflict, 11 of them severely wounded.

Other

One Egyptian border guard was killed and one was wounded by Hamas gunmen on December 28. In addition, two border guards and two Egyptian children were wounded by shrapnel from an Israeli air strike targeting Hamas tunnels on the border on January 11. Among the civilians killed in the Gaza Strip were also two foreigners, a Ukrainian woman and her child.

The Palestinian Centre For Human Rights reports that Israelis in the West Bank shot at demonstrators who were protesting the Israeli offensive in Gaza Strip; one civilian was allegedly killed and 36 (including 17 children) wounded.

Effects

There are multiple economic, industrial and medical effects of the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict. Early independent estimates say that Gaza lost nearly $2 billion in assets, including 4,100 homes destroyed and some 16,000 damaged, about 1,500 factories and workshops, 20 mosques, 31 security compounds, and 10 water or sewage lines. The World Health Organization said that 34 health facilities (8 hospitals and 26 primary health care clinics) were damaged over the course of the offensive and the UNOCHA said that over 50 United Nations facilities sustained damage, of which 28 reported damage in the first three days of the operation. In southern Israel, thousands of residents were forced into bomb shelters. Schools in southern Israel were closed for the majority of the conflict and many residents fled. The productive capacity of some of Gaza's most important manufacturing plants was destroyed by bulldozing and bombing, including the biggest Palestinian food-processing plant, the largest ready-mixed concrete producer, and the Al Badr flour mills. The violence sparked numerous attacks against Jews abroad, especially in Europe.

Media

Foreign press access to Gaza has been limited since November 2008 via either Egypt or Israel. On 29 December 2008, the Israeli Supreme Court ordered that journalists be allowed into Gaza whenever the crossings were opened, but the IDF did not comply fully. Two journalists were arrested due to violations of wartime censorship in Israel. Hamas fired grad rockets from Media Office Building. Media infrastructure, including Al-Aqsa TV transmission equipment and foreign and local press offices, were hit during the conflict. Media relations also played an important role, with the use of new media (up to and including cyber warfare) on the part of both Israel and Hamas.

Reactions

Reaction to the conflict came from many countries and international organisations, and was notable in the level of civilian demonstrations all around the world against Israel's actions in Gaza; some protests supported Israel. Many protesters disagreed with their governments' official position on the conflict.

International law

Under international law warring parties are obliged to distinguish between combatants and civilians, ensure that attacks on legitimate military targets are proportional, and guarantee that the military advantage of such attacks outweigh the possible harm done to civilians. Violations of these laws are considered war crimes.

Also under international law occupying powers have certain responsibilities to those under occupation. Israel asserts that it ended its occupation of Gaza when it disengaged from the coastal strip in 2005. However, the UNRWA and Human Rights Watch disagree and consider Israel an occupying power. Israel maintains military control of the Gaza strip's airspace, land borders and territorial waters.

Israel

Israel has been accused of collective punishment by United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)'s Richard Falk; of targeting of civilians by Falk, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, and Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR)'s Raji Sourani; of disproportionate military response by Falk and EU Aid Commissioner Louis Michel; of failure "to care for and evacuate the wounded" by the Red Cross; and of the use of human shields when fighting in residential areas by Amnesty International - all of which would constitute a violation of international humanitarian law as defined in the Geneva Conventions "in regard to the obligations of an occupying power and in the requirements of the laws of war".

Israel's response is that its military action (use of force) in Gaza constituted acts of self-defense rather than being reprisals or punishment. Justus Weiner and Avi Bell of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs approve that Israel's actions do not constitute collective punishment and intentional targeting of civilians. Israeli's definition of a justifiable target has been criticized for being too broad. Professor Philippe Sands of University College London says that "once you extend the definition of combatant in the way that IDF is apparently doing, you begin to associate individuals who are only indirectly or peripherally involved" as in the case of the Israeli strike on the police station. The IDF justifies the strike, which killed at least 40 trainees, claiming that the policemen participate in Hamas military activities, but the IDF was unable to provide any information to substantiate this allegation. Human Rights Watch argues that even if the Israeli claim is true, it is not legal to target policemen that were not engaged in combat. B'Tselem disputes the IDF's claim, stating in a letter to the Israeli attorney general, that the policemen killed were "trained in first aid, human rights and maintaining public order."

Deliberations by the IDF during the conflict resulted in a decision that striking homes that may be used to store weapons when "sufficient warning" is given to the residents falls within the boundaries of international law and is therefore legitimate.

The Israeli reasoning behind their targeting of public buildings including education institutions also drew criticism from human rights groups B'Tselem and Human Rights Watch. Israelis defended their strikes by citing Protocol 1 of the Geneva Conventions which defines a site a legitimate target if it is being used for military activities. According to the BBC, "Israel simply argues are part of the Hamas infrastructure – and there is no difference between its political and military wings." B'Tselem describes Israel's reasoning as being "legally flawed" as a simple Hamas' affiliation does not make the buildings legitimate targets.

Human Rights Watch, B'Tselem, Gaza’s Ministry of Health, International Red Cross, UNRWA's John Ging, and Amnesty International said Israeli military used white phosphorus in the Gaza strip. Israel said it did not use white phosphorus in Gaza, and "wishes to reiterate that it uses weapons in compliance with international law, while strictly observing that they be used in accordance with the type of combat and its characteristics." The use of white phosphorus against civilians is banned under international law, but it is legal to use the substance in other conditions such as to illuminate areas during night or as a smoke screen. The Israeli based NGO Monitor criticized that 'evidence' was based entirely on innuendo and unverifiable 'eyewitness' reports", while Amnesty International said their claims are backed by weapons experts. After initially denying that white phosphorus shells were fired in Gaza, Israeli military officials have now acknowledged its use.

Norwegian doctor and political activist Mads Gilbert suspects the Israeli military used Dense Inert Metal Explosive in the Gaza strip. The IDF and Israeli weapons experts deny this claim.. These weapons are new and therefore, there are no laws specifically covering their usage.

The International Atomic Energy Agency and the World Health Organization announced that, at the behest of Arab UN diplomats, they would investigate complaints that Israel used depleted uranium projectiles during the conflict. The Israeli Foriegn Ministry spokesman called the accusations groundless propaganda.

Fear of prosecution abroad

A number of human rights groups have reportedly been preparing law suits against Israeli soldiers. On January 26, the conflict took a new twist after Israeli soldiers and officials were warned against travelling to Britain over fears they could be arrested and charged with war crimes.Ehud Olmert said Israel would put efforts into protecting Israelis from any prosecution.

Palestinians

The BBC reported on January 5 that "Witnesses and analysts confirm that Hamas fires rockets from within populated civilian areas, and all sides agree that the movement flagrantly violates international law by targeting civilians with its rockets." Amnesty International accused Palestinian gunmen of using Palestinian civilians as human shields.

In 2007 exiled Hamas political chief Khaled Mashaal, called recent rockets attacks on Israel "self defense." Hamas leaders “argue that rocket attacks on Israel are the only way to counter Israel's policies and operations, including artillery strikes. But Human Rights Watch has said that, "Such justifications do not overcome the illegality of the attacks under international humanitarian law."

Israel argues that Hamas blurs the line between civilians and combatants, and is therefore responsible for civilian deaths in Gaza. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that "Hamas' use of human shields" and "operational use of heavily built-up and densely populated civilian areas" violates Article 8(2)(b)(xxiii) of the Rome Statute. This statute defines as a war crime the act of "Utilizing the presence of a civilian to render certain points, areas or military forces immune from military operations." It also defines Palestinian attacks as terrorist in nature, because they kill civilians in order to "sow terror" within the broader civilian population. This would violate the Geneva Convention's Laws of Armed Conflict.

On January 14th it was reported that Palestinian militants had fired mortar shells containing phosphorus explosive into the Eshkol Regional Council area in Negev.

Aftermath

Unnamed US diplomatic sources confirmed on or around January 25, 2009 that United States Navy warships stationed in the Gulf of Aden had been ordered to track Iranian arms shipments. Israeli intelligence reports that were distributed to cabinet ministers suggested that Iran's Revolutionary Guard has a arms resupply program for Gaza.

See also

• Military equipment of Israel
• Palestinian domestic weapons production
• 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza foreign involvement
• Antisemitic incidents related to the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict

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141. IDF targets senior Hamas figures, Ha'aretz, January 4, 2009.
142. ^ A Gaza War Full of Traps and Trickery. By Steven Erlanger. The New York Times. Published January 10, 2009.
144. "Gaza Humanitarian Situation Report - January 2, 2009 as of 14:30". UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. 2009-1-2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-1-2. Retrieved 2009-1-2. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate=, |date=, and |archivedate= (help)
145. Amnesty International: there are no safe places in Gaza Palestine News Network 2009-01-01
146. "Situation Report From The Humanitarian Coordinator - January 7, 2009, 1700 hours". UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. 2009-1-7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-1-7. Retrieved 2009-1-7. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate=, |date=, and |archivedate= (help)
147. Situation Report From The Humanitarian Coordinator, January 7, 2009, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. "There is no safe space in the Gaza Strip - no safe haven, no bomb shelters, and the borders are closed making this one of the rare conflicts where civilians have no place to flee."
148. "Israel reinforces troops, ground offensive possible". China Daily. December 28, 2008. Retrieved December 28, 2008.
149. Harel, Amos (January 3, 2009). "Israel launches a ground operation in the Gaza Strip". Jerusalem, IL: Haaretz. Retrieved 3. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonth= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
150. Greenberg, Hanan (2009-01-03). "IDF enters Gaza; dozens of terrorists hurt". Retrieved 2009-01-03.
151. Israeli ground troops enter Gaza, Al Jazeera English. 2009-01-04
152. IDF soldier killed, another seriously wounded in Gaza ground operation, Haaretz, 2009-01-04
153. "Israel fires artillery shells into Gaza". The Guardian. 2009-1-3. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
154. ^ Israeli troops enter Gaza Strip BBC News. 2009-01-03
155. Six children among 12 killed in mosque blast The Guardian. 2009-01-04.
156. IDF bombs mosque during Gaza operations, killing thirteen worshipers January 4, 2009
157. "Gaza: Hamas gunmen hide in hospitals". YNET. 2008-12-31. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
158. McCarthy, Rory (2009-01-05). "Thousands flee guns and shells as Israel tightens grip on Gaza".
159. "Israel presses on with Gaza attack". Reuters. 2009-01-05.
160. Israeli troops and Hamas fighters clash in Gaza City Guardian.co.uk. 2009-01-05.
161. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7814054.stm
162. 'Israeli Shells Kill 40 at Gaza U.N. School' New York Times January 6, 2009
163. ^ "Gaza reporter on Al-Arabiya: "A rocket from here? It's here. Listen, it's here, below the building..."". 2009-01-20.
164. ^ "Gaza reporter on Al-Arabiya: "A rocket from here? It's here. Listen, it's here, below the building..."". 2009-01-20.
165. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7822786.stm
166. http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1054497.html
167. Greenberg, Hanan (2009-01-12). "IDF incorporates reservists in Gaza op".
168. http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/01/13/israel.gaza/index.html
169. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1055168.html
170. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article5521925.ece Sheera Frenkel, UN headquarters in Gaza hit by Israeli 'white phosphorus' shells
171. ^ Sonja Pace. "Israel Opens Up Humanitarian Corridors in Gaza as Fighting Continues".
172. "Israel resumes Gaza raid after lull".
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174. "Israel Declares Short 'Recess' In Gaza Fighting". 2009-01-07.
175. Reuters (January 7, 2009). "Clashes resume in Gaza City after 3-hour humanitarian truce". Haaretz. Retrieved 2009-01-07. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
176. Barzak, Ibrahim (January 7, 2009). "Israel halts campaign for 3 hours to let in aid". Associated Press. Archived from the original on January 7, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
177. ^ "Ban: Israeli Forces Fired on U.N. Aid Convoy 'Truce'". 13WMAZ. January 8, 2009. Retrieved 2008-01-08.
178. "IDF: Army didn't fire on UN truck driver". January 10, 2009. Archived from the original on January 10, 2009.
179. "World powers work toward Gaza resolution: U.S., France, Britain accept need for binding U.N. plan to impose cease-fire". MSNBC. January 8, 2009. {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)
180. Associated Press (January 8, 2009). "UN pulls out of Gaza over fears for its staff". The Independent.
181. Reuters (January 9, 2009). "UN aid workers plan to resume Gaza movement soon". ynetnews. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
182. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1231424898375&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
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185. "FACTBOX-Hamas's arsenal of rockets", Reuters 06-01-2009
186. Amy Teibel and Ian Deitch, "Despite Gaza toll, Israeli media focus on Israel", Associated Press 13-01-2009
187. Noa Kosharek, "Tel Aviv, Rishon Letzion prepare bomb shelters in case of attack", Ha'aretz 01-01-2009
188. Yaakov Katz and Yaakov Lappin, "Rehovot, Rishon may be in rocket range", Jerusalem Post 05-01-2009
189. Yair Yanga, "Shin Bet: Some 565 rockets, 200 mortar shells fired at Israel since start of Gaza op", Ha'aretz 13-01-2009
190. Khaled Abu Toameh (2009-01-19). "Al-Aksa Brigades: We also fought IDF in Gaza". JPost.com (Jerusalem Post). Retrieved 2009-01-20. Fatah confirmed that its members had been fighting alongside Hamas during the war.
191. The Associated Press (December 29 2008). "Israeli airstrikes kill dozens of Gaza civilians". The Herald Tribune. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
192. Three Israelis killed as Hamas launches revenge attacks
193. Cite error: The named reference bbc_Oct29 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
194. "Israel expands Gaza campaign as terrorists fire rockets". Reuters. December 29, 2008.
195. ynetnews Rocket hits Beersheba school; no injuries, December 31, 2008
196. Yaakov Lappin, At least 35 rockets fired at South on Saturday, Jerusalem Post 03-01-2009
197. "Infant lightly hurt in rocket attack on Gedera".
198. "Rocket lands near Ashdod kindergarten; no injuries". YNET. 11 January 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |Language= ignored (|language= suggested) (help)
199. Khaled Abu Toameh, "Hamas: We're using PA arms to battle IDF", Jerusalem Post 04-01-2009
200. ^ Times online, Jan 12, 2009
201. "Hamas leader killed in airstrike as Israelis reject ceasefire call". Times Online.
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203. "Report: Hamas holding 2 Israeli soldiers; IDF: No knowledge of report".
204. "Warnings Not Enough for Gaza Families". January 5, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |Language= ignored (|language= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help)
205. Hamas Fighters Display Mix of Swagger and Fear. The New York Times. Published January 13, 2009.
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207. Taghreed El Khodary and Ethan Bronner, "No Early End Seen to ‘All-Out War’ on Hamas in Gaza", New York Times 30-12-2009
208. Taghreed El Khodary and Ethan Bronner, "No Early End Seen to ‘All-Out War’ on Hamas in Gaza", New York Times 30-12-2009
209. Khaled Abu Toameh, "Hamas moves on Fatah 'collaborators'", Jerusalem Post, 04-01-2009
210. Ali Waked, "Hamas executes 6 suspected collaborators", Ynet News, 07-01-2009
211. Amira Hass, "Hamas executes collaborators and restricts Fatah movement", Ha'aretz 10-01-2009
212. Isabel Kershner, "War on Hamas Saps Palestinian Leaders", New York Times 14-01-2009
213. Jeffrey Fleishman and Rushdi Abu Aluf, "Battered by Israel, Hamas faces tough choice", Los Angeles Times 12-01-2009
214. Khaled Abu Toameh, "Hamas moves on Fatah 'collaborators'", Jerusalem Post, 04-01-2009
215. Khaled Abu Toameh, 'Hamas torturing Fatah members in Gaza', Jerusalem Post 19-01-2009
216. Nidal al-Mughrabi, Hamas asserts control in Gaza, seeks "collaborators" , Reuters 21-01-2009
217. Rockets from Lebanon:
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218. Hezbollah woos crowds at Ashura, retrieved on January 8, 2009
219. Who is behind the Lebanon rockets?
220. Rockets Fired From Lebanon Into Northern Israel
221. Who is behind the Lebanon rockets?
222. Gaza conflict has potential to draw in Hezbollah
223. "Lebanese prime minister condemns rocket attacks". Associated Press in Yahoo News.
224. "Israeli soldiers come under fire at Syria border fence". Xinhua. 11-01-2009. Archived from the original on 11-01-2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |archivedate= (help)
225. Matti Friedman, "Shots fired at Israeli patrol on Jordan border", Associated Press 13-01-2009
226. http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/63306/three-katyusha-rockets-strike-open-areas-near-kiryat-shmona.html
227. CNN, January 14, 2009
228. "Gaza aid boat damaged by Israelis reaches Lebanon". Reuters. 2008-12-30.
229. Six children among 12 killed in mosque blast The Guardian. 2009-01-04.
230. Amos Harel. "IDF investigation shows errant mortar hit UN building in Gaza". {{cite web}}: Missing pipe in: |Publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |Language= ignored (|language= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help)
231. Tim McGirk. "http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1870087,00.html". Time (magazine). {{cite news}}: External link in |title= (help)
232. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/10/world/middleeast/10gaza.html
233. Israel kills 30 civilians at shelter, witnesses tell U.N. CNN Jan 9, 2009.
234. dug from rubble during Gaza cease-fire CNN January 19, 2009
235. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3653417,00.html
236. "Israeli 'phosphorous shells' incinerate 1,000s of tons of UN food as Gaza starves". The Scotsman. 2009-01-16.
237. *http://www.norwaypost.no/content/view/21498/1/
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238. "Israeli shells strike UN compound". Chicago Tribune.
239. http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=29028 Hamas Bomb May Have Blown Up Gazan Physician’s Home, Yeshiva World News, 19 January 2009
240. http://israelmatzav.blogspot.com/2009/01/palestinian-doctors-daughter-may-have.html 'Palestinian doctors daughter may have pieces of Grad rocket in her head,' Israel Matzav, 18 January 2009
241. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1056198.html ‘Israeli-trained Gaza doctor loses three daughters and niece to IDF tank shell,’ Haaretz 17/01/2009
242. Martin Fletcher and Sheera Frenkel, 'Gaza war 'in final act' as ceasefire looms', The Times, 17/01/2009
243. Kevin Dowling, 'Strikes on Gaza continue ahead of imminent ceasefire,' The Times 17/01/2009
244. Steven Erlanger, ‘Israelis Confer on Cease-Fire; U.N. School Is Hit, Killing 2 , New York Times 18/01/2009
245. "Israel declares ceasefire in Gaza". BBC. 17 January 2009. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
246. ^ Haaretz, 18 Jan 2009,
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249. "Rocket fire tests Gaza ceasefire". BBC. 18 January 2009. Retrieved 18 January 2009.
250. "6 rockets, 3 mortars fired from Gaza". ynetnews. 18 January 2009. Retrieved 18 January 2009.
251. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7835981.stm
253. Haaretz, 18 Jan 2009,
254. CNN 18 Jan 2009
255. BBC 18 Jan 2009
256. First Palestinian shot dead after Israel's unilateral ceasefire
257. Jerusalem Post
258. Yediot Acharonot
259. Yediot Acharonot
260. Jerusalem Post
261. "מטח פצמ"רים לעבר מערב הנגב. אין נפגעים". walla. 20 January 2009.
262. Medics: Palestinian farmer shot dead SE of Gaza
264. http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/01/20/Israeli_troops_fired_on_near_Gaza_border/UPI-81411232428494/
265. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090121/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_palestinians
266. Israel, Egypt have no information on Shalit: Cairo. France 24. Published January 21, 2009.
267. ^ Livni: Israel should strike Hamas again to halt arms smuggling. Haaretz. Published January 25, 2009.
268. ^ Rights Group Puts Gaza Death Toll At 1,284. By Khan Younis. CNN. Published 22 January 2009.
269. ^ "Protection of Civilians Weekly Report" (PDF). 16 - 20 January 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
270. http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21498,24949313-5005361,00.html?from=public_rss
271. "Israel disputes Gaza death toll". Jerusulum Post. January 22, 2009.
272. Heavy shelling reported as IDF steps up anti-tunnel ops
273. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/world/middleeast/30mideast.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=collaborators%20and%20gaza&st=cse
274. "Hamas moves on Fatah 'collaborators'". The Jerusalem Post. January 4, 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-18. {{cite news}}: |first= missing |last= (help)
275. Bronner, Ethan (December 29, 2008). "No Early End Seen to 'All-Out War' on Hamas in Gaza". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-01-18. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
276. "Amira Hass: Ha'aretz editors sensationalized report on Gaza executions, deepening Hamas-Fatah tension". Ma'an News Agency. 2009-01-10. Archived from the original on 2009-01-10. Retrieved 2009-01-10.
277. http://www.thejerusalemgiftshop.com/israelnews/conflict/82-conflict/636-hamas-moves-on-fatah-collaborators.html
278. "Hamas executes collaborators and restricts Fatah movement". January 8, 2009. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help)
279. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1231950866724&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
280. ^ "Soccer-Two Palestinian footballers die in Gaza conflict". Reuters UK. January 14, 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
281. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1232292907174&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
282. http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/63326/women-killed-in-jabaliya-missile-detonates-gaza-city-cemetery.html
283. http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/nation_world/20090121_ap_lastisraelitroopsleavegazacompetingpullout.html
284. "War On Gaza Day 17" (in Arabic). Al-Jazeera. 2009-01-12. Retrieved 2009-01-26.
285. http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90854/6577963.html
286. Nir Magal (January 22, 2009). "Gazan doctor says death toll inflated". Ynet.
287. "Israel Resumes Attack After Pause for Aid Delivery".
288. "Italian paper: Gazans say Hamas kept them in homes used by gunmen." Haaretz. 22 January 2009. 22 January 2009.
289. ^ "Defiant Hamas hits Israel with dozens of rockets". Yahoo! News. December 29, 2008. Archived from the original on January 2, 2009.
290. ^ "Israel continues Gaza assault". Doha, QA: Al Jazeera. 2009-01-03. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
291. "Israeli forces split Gaza in two". BBC. 2009-1-04. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
292. "Three Israeli soldiers killed by 'friendly' fire: army".
293. "Tank and infantry operations in Gaza investigated". 2009-01-06.
294. http://www.mako.co.il/news/politics-news/military/Articles/itemId=1ec4d0ea599ee110VgnVCM100000290c10acRCRD
295. "Two Egyptian Children, Police Injured in Israeli Air Strike Near Gaza Border". 2009-01-11.
296. http://www.interfax.com/3/460918/news.aspx
297. http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/English/2008/22-01-2009.htm
298. UN Chief: Hamas rocket attacks are 'appalling and unacceptable' , Haaretz, 20/01/2009
299. Taghreed El Khodary and Ethan Bronner, "No Early End Seen to ‘All-Out War’ on Hamas in Gaza", New York Times 30-12-2009
300. Aron Heller, "School resumes in Israel despite rocket threat", Associated Press, 11-01-2009
301. Ashkelon Empties, Trauma teams Struggle, IRIN News (UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs),13-01-2009
302. Donald Macintyre: An assault on the peace process Monday, 26 January 2009
303. Philippe Naughton, "Gaza conflict fuels anti-Semitic attacks across Europe", The Times 06-01-2009
304. "Sarkozy vows "zero tolerance" for Gaza hate crimes". Reuters. 2009-01-14.
305. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/4016850/Gaza-attacks-Israeli-strikes-spark-protests-across-world.html
306. BBC NEWS UK | London protest over raids on Gaza.BBC News. Retrieved on 2009-01-08
307. VOA News - Protests Against Israel's Gaza Bombardment Spread.Voanews.com. Retrieved on 2009-01-08
308. "ICRC Advisory Service on International Humanitarian Law (July, 2004)". Retrieved January 4, 2009.
309. Occupation and international humanitarian law: questions and answers, International Committee of the Red Cross, 2004.
310. International Law and Gaza: The Assault on Israel's Right to Self-Defense, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, Vol. 7, No. 29, January 28,2008.
311. Israeli MFA Address by Israeli Foreign Minister Livni to the 8th Herzliya Conference, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Israel), January 22, 2008.
312. A Debate on Israel’s Invasion of Gaza: UNRWA’s Christopher Gunness v. Israel Project’s Meagan Buren, Democracy Now, January 5, 2009; Christopher Gunness, spokesperson for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) identifies Israel an occupying power.
313. "Human Rights Council Special Session on the Occupied Palestinian Territories" July 6, 2006; Human Rights Watch considers Gaza still occupied.
314. ^ Falk, Richard (2008-12-27). "Statement by Prof. Richard Falk, United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories" (her). United Nations Human Rights Council. Retrieved 2009-01-04. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
315. al-Mughrabi, Nidal, Dan Williams, Adam Entous, Aziz el-Kaissouni, Claudia Parsons (2009-01-07). Egypt floats truce plan after 42 killed in Gaza school, Reuters.
316. Could Israel Be Charged With War Crimes?, IPS News reprinted at Alternet, January 7, 2009.
317. "Israeli Strikes Disproportionate - EU Aid Chief". Javno. January 13, 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
318. Alan, Cowell (2009-01-08). "Gaza Children Found With Mothers' Corpses". New York Times. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help) (subscription)
319. ^ Mel Frykberg, Gaza Children Found Starving, Antiwar.com, January 9, 2009. Cite error: The named reference "Frykberg" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
320. Gaza 'human shields' criticised http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7818122.stm
321. "Israel rejects UN truce resolution, says Gaza operation to continue". Haaretz. 2009-01-10.
322. Weiner, Justus Reid (2008-12-25). "International Law and the Fighting in Gaza". Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-01-02. Retrieved 2009-01-03. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
323. "Hamas leader, 20 Palestinians killed in IAF strikes". Ynet. 2009-01-09. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
324. Israel using phosphorus bombs, says rights group. France 24. Published January 12, 2009.
325. ^ Gaza: Israel under fire for alleged white phosphorus use. By Robert Marquand and Nicholas Blanford. The Christian Science Monitor. Published January 14, 2009.
326. Israel is using phosphorous illegally in Gaza Strip bombings. B'Tselem Press Release. Published January 12, 2009.
327. Gaza's burn victims add to pressure on army over phosphorus. By Sheera Frenkel and Michael Evans. Times Online. Published January 12, 2009.
328. ^ 'IDF white phosphorus use not illegal'. The Jerusalem Post. Published January 13, 2009.
329. "UN accuses Israel over phosphorus".
330. Gaza: 'Indisputable evidence' of Israel's use of white phosphorus against civilians AI. January 19, 2009.
331. UN report 13 Jan 2009
332. Human Rights Watch: White (phosphorous) lies. Gerald Steinberg
333. "Israel used white phosphorus in Gaza Civilian Areas". Amnesty International. 2009-1-19. Archived from the original on 2009-1-22. Retrieved 2009-1-22. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate=, |date=, and |archivedate= (help)
334. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7848768.stm
335. ^ . Haaretz. 2009-1-23 http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1057649.html. Retrieved 2009-1-23. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help); Text "title UN to probe claim Israel used depleted uranium bombs in Gaza" ignored (help)
336. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/4323980/Israel-warns-soldiers-of-prosecution-abroad-for-Gaza-war-crimes.html
337. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28839036/
338. http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.jewish/browse_thread/thread/2e1cac6479f0e8e3
339. "Hamas: Rocket Attacks on Israel Are 'Self Defense'". Associated Press. April 29, 2007.
340. "Palestinian Rocket Attacks since the IDF Withdrawal".
341. "Indiscriminate Fire: Palestinian Rocket Attacks on Israel and Israeli Artillery Shelling in the Gaza Strip". Human Rights Watch. June 30, 2007.
342. "Hamas Exploitation of Civilians as Human Shields". Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. January 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 7, 2009. outlined in Article 51(2) of Additional Protocol I
343. "Phosphorus mortar shell detected in Negev".
344. Yanir Yagna (January 14, 2009). "For the first time, Gaza militants fire phosphorus shell at Israel". Haaretz.
345. Israel: Hamas fires phosphorus shell
346. Mahnaimi, Uzi (25 January 2009). "US Navy Seeks Arms Bound For Hamas". Times Online. Retrieved 26 January 2009.

External links

• Ongoing news coverage from Aljazeera, BBC News, CNN, Christian Science Monitor, Financial Times, The Guardian, Haaretz, ICRC, Jerusalem Post, Los Angeles Times, Palestine News Network, Radio France International.

Involved parties

• IDF Spokesperson's Unit postings on youtube
• Hamas War Against Israel reports from the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Palutube: Hamas video site

Maps

• Gaza crisis: key maps and timeline. BBC News.

• Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from January 2009
• Articles with dead external links from January 2009
• 2008 in Israel
• 2008 in the Palestinian territories
• 2008-2009 Israel-Gaza conflict
• Conflicts in 2008
• Conflicts in 2009
• Gaza
• Gaza Strip
• Israeli-Palestinian conflict