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| Operation Cast Lead | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict | |||||
 Area of the conflict | |||||
| |||||
| Belligerents | |||||
 Israel (IDF) |
 Hamas | ||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||
|
Gabi Ashkenazi Yoav Galant Ehud Barak Ido Nehoshtan |
Khaled Meshaal Ismail Haniyeh Mahmoud az-Zahar Ahmed Jabari | ||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||
| 1 civilian killed and 6 injured |
205 killed (at least 140 Hamas militants) 400 wounded. | ||||
| Second Intifada | |
|---|---|
Lists |
Operation Cast Lead (Template:Lang-he) was an Israel air strike operation launched on December 27 at 11:30 AM (IST), in order to destroy Hamas military capacities.
Background
The truce between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip expired on December 19. On December 13, Israel announced that it was in favor of extending it, provided Hamas adheres to its conditions. On December 20, Hamas officially announced an end to the truce, and resumed its shelling of the western Negev. On December 22, the IDF killed three Palestinian militants who 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 hits by more than 60 mortar shells and Katyusha and Qassam rockets, and the IDF was given a green light to operate.
Launched during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, the operation was codenamed after a Hanukkah poem by Haim Nachman Bialik referring to a "dreidel cast from solid lead".
Attack
Using F-16 bombers Israel launched airstrikes in Gaza that killed at least 205 and wounded around 400 in answer to the Qassam rocket attacks on southern Israel which have been intensifying during the last few weeks. About 140 of the dead are Hamas militants, according to Hamas officials, including police chief Tawfiq Jabber and the head of Hamas's security and protection unit.
60 Israeli planes targeted Hamas security and training compounds, as well as weapon storage buildings, and dropped more than 100 tons of bombs.
Gaza militants fired 70 rockets and mortars in response of the Israeli operation. A missile hit the town of Netivot, killing an Israeli man and wounding six other people.
International reactions
United Nations Ban-ki Moon called for "an immediate halt to all violence" in the Gaza Strip
The United States condemned Hamas, saying that "Hamas' continued rocket attacks into Israel must cease if the violence is to stop," but also urging "Israel to avoid civilian casualties as it targets Hamas in Gaza."
Egypt condemned the attacks and opened up the Rafah Border Crossing to allow the wounded into Egyptian hospitals. Egypt also deployed 500 anti-riot police along the border.
Syria also condemned the acts, calling them a "heinous crime and convicted terrorist act." In al-Yarmouk camp, outside Damascus, dozens of Palestinian protesters vowed to continue fighting Israel.
In Jordan, several hundred Jordanians protested outside a U.N. complex in the capital Amman.
In Lebanon, dozens of youths set fire to tires in Ein Hilweh, a Palestinian refugee camp.
References
- Harel, Amos (2008-12-27). "ANALYSIS / IAF strike on Gaza is Israel's version of 'shock and awe'". Ha'aretz. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
- Sofer, Roni (2008-12-13). "Israel in favor of extending Gaza lull". Ynetnews. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
- Harel, Amos (2008-12-21). "Hamas declares end to cease-fire, Israeli gov't sources fear violence is unavoidable". Haaretz. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Lavie, Mark. "The Associated Press: 3 Gaza militants killed in clash on Israeli border" (2008/12/22 ed.). Retrieved 2008-12-27.
- Katz, Yaakov (2008-12-24). "IDF gets green light to strike Hamas after rocket barrage". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - AP (2008-12-26). "'All police HQs in Gaza destroyed'". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
- "Massive Israeli air raids on Gaza". BBC. 2008-12-27. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
- ^ "Egypt slams Israeli 'murder' in Gaza, summons ambassador". AFP. 2008-12-27. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
- ^ "Israel launches major Gaza air operation". JTA. 2008-12-27. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
- Aboualouf, Rushdi (2008-12-27). "Eyewitness: Chaos in Gaza". BBC. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
- ^ El-Khodary, Taghreed (2008-12-27). "Israeli attack kills scores across Gaza". International Herald Tribune. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Black, Ian (2008-12-27). "Israel's hammer blow in Gaza". Guardian. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
- Reaction in Quotes BBC News
- "U.S. Condemns Hamas in Midst of Israeli Strikes". FOX. 2008-12-27. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
- Sood, Manish (2008-12-27). "Arab and Islamic leaders condemn deadly raids on Gaza". Topnews. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
- "Syria condemns Israeli strikes on Gaza as "heinous crime"". Xinhua. 2008-12-27. Retrieved 2008-12-27.