Gaza War (2008–2009)

2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict
Part of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Map of Gaza
Date 27 December 2008–present Location Gaza Strip & Southern Israel Result Conflict ongoing
Belligerents
Israel (IDF)	Hamas Islamic Jihad File:Logoprc.jpg Popular Resistance Committees
Commanders and leaders
Ehud Barak (DefMin) Gabi Ashkenazi (CoS) Yoav Galant (SoCom)	Ismail Haniyeh Mahmoud az-Zahar Ahmed al-Ja'abari
Strength
176,500 (10,000 deployed, backed by tanks, artillery, gunboats, and aircraft.)	20,000 Hamas operatives in Gaza
Casualties and losses
Total Killed: 12 Soldiers: 8 Civilians: 4 Wounded: 70 soldiers, 39 civilians	Total Killed: 758 Militants: ~150 Policemen: 138 Civilians: ~350 (MoH) Unknown: ~110 Wounded: 3,100 Note: Casualty figures in Gaza cannot yet be independently verified
1 Egyptian border guard officer killed and another wounded. More than 35 Palestinians executed and 75 wounded by Hamas, suspected for collaborating with Israel

The 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict, part of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, began on 27 December 2008 (11:30 a.m. local time; 9:30 a.m. UTC) when the Israel Defense Forces launched a military campaign codenamed Operation Cast Lead (Hebrew: מבצע עופרת יצוקה, Mivtza Oferet Yetzuka), targeting the members and infrastructure of Gaza's governing party, Hamas. The conflict has been called the Gaza Massacre (Arabic: مجزرة غزة) in the Arab World.

A six-month truce between Hamas and Israel ended on 19 December 2008. Hamas claimed that Israel broke the truce on 4 November 2008, and that Israel had failed to lift the Gaza Strip blockade, and Israel blamed Hamas for the rocket fire directed at southern Israeli towns and cities. Israel's stated objectives in this conflict are to end Palestinian rocket fire and prevent the rearming of Hamas. Hamas demands the cessation of Israeli attacks and an end to the Israeli blockade.

At least 225 people were killed on the first day of the Israeli attack. By the first evening, Israeli Air Force fighter-bomber aircraft had bombed roughly 100 targets in four minutes, including Hamas bases, training camps, headquarters and offices. Israel also hit what it identified as Hamas-run institutions and bases in all of Gaza's main towns, including Gaza City and Beit Hanoun in the north and Khan Younis and Rafah in the south. The attacks have also hit civilian infrastructure, including mosques and housing, with a great number of civilian casualties reported. Israel asserts many of these hid weapons and personnel, and that it is not targeting civilians. The Israeli Navy has shelled targets in Gaza, instituting at the same time a naval blockade of Gaza, which has resulted in one naval incident with a civilian boat.

Hamas has intensified its rocket and mortar attacks against Israel throughout the conflict, increasing the distance of attacks to as far away as 40 kilometres (25 mi) from the Gaza border, hitting civilian cities like Beersheba and Ashdod. These attacks have resulted in civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure. All schools in the area are closed.

The IDF started massing infantry and armor units near the Gaza border and engaged in an active blockade of Gaza. On 3 January 2009, a ground invasion began, with mechanised infantry, armor, and artillery units, supported by armed helicopters, entering Gaza.

Both Israel and Hamas are under pressure for a humanitarian truce. While Israeli defense minister Ehud Barak intially stated that this will be a "war to the bitter end", Israeli defense officials have suggested as recently as January 6 that the operation could be "over in the next 72 hours".

International reactions to the conflict have either condemned the Israeli operation, Hamas' attacks, or both. Many countries and organisations have called for an immediate ceasefire and have expressed concern about the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. Israel earlier stated that there was no humanitarian crisis in Gaza, but is now willing to open up limited areas in the Gaza Strip for humanitarian purposes.The International Red Cross, United Nations and aid workers have reported intolerable conditions and a deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Red Cross has accused the Israeli military of failing "to meet its obligation under international humanitarian law."

Background

Main articles: Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Gaza–Israel conflict, 2007–2008 Israel–Gaza conflict, and Blockade of the Gaza Strip

See also: List of rocket and mortar attacks in Israel in 2008 and 2009.

The June 2008 cease-fire

On 19 June 2008, an Egyptian-brokered six-month cease-fire agreement "for the Gaza area" went into effect between Hamas and Israel. On 24 June 2008, Israel raided the city of Nablus on the West Bank, outside of the cease fire area, killing a commander of Islamic Jihad (an organisation independent of Hamas) and one other Palestinian. Later the same day, three Qassam rockets were fired from Gaza into Sderot, Israel, causing two minor injuries, and Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility, stating the attack was in response to the Israeli raid.

Israel closed border crossings into Gaza in response to the rocket attack, and on 26 June, Hamas warned Israel that its closure of the Gaza border was seen as a major cease-fire violation. Hamas called on other Palestinian factions to abide by the truce, and a rocket attack on Israel by Fatah was condemned by Hamas. Rocket and mortar attacks continued at a rate of several rockets per month, often with no one taking responsibility.

Table of monthly rocket hits in Israel.

Hamas was able to decrease the volume of rocket attacks for several months and pressured Islamic Jihad into abiding by the ceasefire, allegedly imprisoning some of those who were firing rockets. While over 300 rockets were fired into Israel in May 2008, 10 to 20 were fired in July, with estimates varying between Israeli and United Nations observers and based on whether mortar attacks were included. In August 2008, 10 to 30 were fired, and in September 5 to 10 were.

Israel allowed some increase in the quantities of goods trucked into Gaza, from 70 truckloads per day to ninety, but traffic was not restored to the 500-600 truckloads delivered daily before the closing and the mix of goods was also restricted. Israel noted Hamas continued the smuggling of weapons into the Gaza strip via tunnels to Egypt, pointed out that the rocket attacks had not completely ceased, and complained that Hamas would not continue negotiating the release of Israeli hostage Gilad Schalit, held by Hamas in Gaza since 2006.

On 4 November 2008, Israeli troops raided the Gaza Strip and killed six Hamas gunmen. The Israeli military claimed that the target of the raid was a tunnel that Hamas was planning to use to capture Israeli soldiers. This is disputed, with others claiming that the tunnel was purely defensive; Hamas termed this raid a "massive breach of the truce".

Talk of extending the cease-fire

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Israelis take cover during a rocket warning siren in the southern Israeli town of Ashkelon, Monday Dec. 29, 2008.

On 13 December 2008, Israel announced that it was in favor of extending the cease-fire, provided Hamas adhered to its conditions. Having previously asserted that an end to the truce would carry huge popular support and that there are daily Israeli attacks, on 20 December Hamas officially announced that they would not be extending the cease-fire, 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 23 December, Mahmoud al-Zahar, a senior Hamas leader, said that his group was willing to renew the truce 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 24 December 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 25 December 2008, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert delivered 'Last Minute' Warning to Gaza in direct appeal to Gaza's people via the Arabic language satellite channel al-Arabiya,to pressure their leaders to stop the barrages. "I am telling them now, it may be the last minute, I'm telling them stop it. We are stronger," he said.

On 26 December 2008, Israel reopened five crossings between Israel and Gaza for humanitarian supplies. Despite the movement of relief supplies, 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. Israel also reopened border crossings and announced, for the sake of Hamas deception, that it would continue deliberations on what course of action to take on 28 December. 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 Israeli offensive took Hamas by surprise, thereby increasing their casualties.

Rockets have in subsequent stages of the conflict reached as far as the cities of Gan Yavne and Gedera, 40 km inside Israel, validating the IDF "Color Red" warning system. Israel and outside observers allege that Iran appears to be using Hamas militants in Gaza as proxies to terrorise Israel. They claim that Iran supplied Hamas with components to allow it to upgrade the range and accuracy of its rockets that it was firing into Israel.

A poll conducted before the 24 December rocket attacks indicated that 46% of Israelis did not support the invasion of the Gaza Strip, while 40% did. A poll conducted on 1 January, four days after the operation begun, demonstrated that a decisive majority of Israelis support continuing the army's air campaign against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip without endangering the lives of Israel Defense Forces soldiers in a ground offensive.

Planning

The details of the operation had reportedly been in planning for over six months, from the approximate time that the temporary cease-fire between Israel and Hamas was signed. On 19 November, the operation plan was submitted for Israeli Minister of Defense Ehud Barak's final approval. On 18 December, Barak met with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv to approve the operation. Later, the Israeli cabinet unanimously voted in favor of the strike, leaving it for the Prime Minister, the Defense Minister and the Foreign Minister to work out the timing. According to The Jerusalem Post, the head of the IDF's Southern Command had been calling for a military operation against Hamas since the group took over Gaza in the 2007 Battle of Gaza, but had been opposed at the national level. The paper said that a "technological threshold" had been set for the beginning of the operation, namely when Hamas became capable of manufacturing improved rockets with a greater accuracy and shelf-life. This condition was met by December 2008, when Hamas was in the middle of the rockets' production cycle.

Planning for the operation itself began more than six months before it was finally implemented. The plan included a large intelligence-gathering operation by Aman and the Shin Bet to map out Hamas security targets. According to Haaretz, sources in the defense establishment said Barak instructed the IDF to prepare for the operation over six months ago. This intelligence-gathering effort brought back information about Hamas' security infrastructure, permanent bases, weapon silos, training camps, the homes of senior officials and coordinates of other facilities.

Implementation of the plan was subsequently delayed in order to see how Hamas would react after the cease-fire's expiration. On 24 December the Israeli cabinet met to talk about the proposed operation, and approved it unanimously after a five-hour meeting. Egyptian Foreign Minister Abou el Gheit said that Egypt didn't have prior knowledge of the date of the attack. A final meeting of defense and intelligence chiefs took place on the morning of 26 December, followed by a meeting between Olmert, Livni, and Barak. They gave the final orders for the operation to the Israeli Air Force, and that night, into the morning of 27 December, various Israeli political leaders were told of the decision.

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. 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. Finally, both Amnesty International and the United Nations report that in the densely populated areas of Gaza there are no "safe" places for civilians.

Launched during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, the operation was named after a line in the children's Hanukkah song "In Honor of Hanukkah" (Hebrew: לכבוד החנוכה) by Hayyim Nahman Bialik in which a dreidel made of "cast lead" is mentioned.

Timeline

Main article: Timeline of the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict

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Masked Palestinian militants from Islamic Jihad place homemade rockets before later firing them into Israel on the outskirts of Gaza City

Rocket fire from the Gaza Strip increased appreciably during November and continued into December.

Initial bombardment

Israel launched its military operation at 11:30 a.m., 27 December, when more than 50 fighter jets and attack helicopters entered Gazan airspace, killing 225-292 Palestinians and wounding more than 1,000. The IAF, responding to intense Hamas rocket attacks on southern Israel, 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 had been 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 had been reported among the casualties.

The day has become referred to by some Palestinians as the 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.

Week of air strikes

Following the first day of air raides, 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, homes of Hamas commanders, etc. 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 3 January 2009, the death toll among Palestinians was at 400, 25% of them civilians.

Ground invasion

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Scores of Israeli army tanks and armored personnel carriers are massed on December 29, 2008 near Israel's border with the Gaza Strip.

On the evening of 3 January, Israeli ground troops began 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. The Israeli military said forty sites had been targeted, including targets for weapons depots and rocket launch sites.

On 3 January, the IDF attacked the Ibrahim al-Maqadna mosque in Beit Lahiya during evening prayers. Witnesses said over 200 Palestinians were praying inside at the time. Thirteen people, including six children, were killed. Many more people were wounded. Israel has accused Hamas of using mosques to hide weapons and ammunition.

Another three Hamas commanders were killed on 4 January: 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 reportedly broke out between Israel and Hamas on the streets of Gaza, as Israel surrounded the city. On 6 January, at least 125 Palestinians and 5 Israeli soldiers were killed.

Despite the ground operation by the IDF rocket attacks by Hamas continued against southern Israel.

Temporary humanitarian truce

After Israel faced mounting international pressure for a ceasefire in the wake of the UNRWA school attack, it announced a three-hour "humanitarian truce" on 7 January, 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), and Hamas responded that they would respect such a ceasefire. 80 aid trucks entered the strip, and Israel delivered industrial fuel for Gaza's power plant. According to conflicting Israeli sources, they plan to repeat this move 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.

Rockets from Lebanon

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Israelis sit in a bomb shelter in the southern city of Ashkelon December 31, 2008.

When the Islamic commemoration of Ashura was held in Lebanon, tens of thousands of supporters of the organization, Hezbollah, gathered in the capital Beirut in solidarity with the Palestinians. During the rally, Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, warned that there was a possibility of renewing another conflict. He stated that he was ready for another confrontation with Israel and had previously put all his fighters in the Israeli-Lebanese border on high alert.

On 8 January 2009, Katyusha rockets were fired at the northern Israeli city of Nahariyya from Lebanon and two civilians were injured when one struck a home-for-the-old-aged. The IDF returned fire at the launch sites, meanwhile, no-one has yet claimed responsibility for this attack. There was no claim of Hezbollah's responsibility for the initial attack, and the short-range Katyusha rockets could have been fired by one of the Lebanese-based Palestinian groups with no affiliation to Hezbollah. Palestinian militants in Lebanon fired rockets into northern Israel in June 2007 and January 2008.

According to the BBC, most analysts have stated that it is unlikely to be Hezbollah, despite recent fiery rhetoric from the group's leader Hassan Nasrallah about the possibility of renewed conflict with Israel, although another analysis states that this may be a way for them to show solidarity with Gaza without provoking a massive Israeli retaliation. A spokeswoman for Hezbollah said an investigation was underway. “We are still looking for information about it,” she said. The organization has a reputation, even among Israelis, for being the most credible conveyor of information about its activities.

Notable Incidents

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Smoke rises above Gaza after another Israeli air strike on a Hamas target

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Palestinians inspect a crater caused by an Israeli air strike at a police station in Gaza City on December 29, 2008.

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Palestinian rescue workers carry a wounded prisoner past a fire, as another lays under the rubble in the central security headquarters and prison, known as the Saraya, after it was hit in an Israeli missile strike in in Gaza City

Smoke rises after an Israel air strike in Gaza Strip December 28, 2008

The Dignity

On 29 December 2008, the Free Gaza Movement sailboat Dignity set sail from Cyprus, carrying aid to Gaza. The boat, which was boarded by Irish human rights activist Caoimhe Butterly, former United States Representative and 2008 Green Party nominee for U.S. President Cynthia McKinney, journalists from Al Jazeera and CNN such as Karl Penhaul, and three surgeons including Dr. Elena Theoharous, a member of the Cyprus Parliament, attempted to enter the Gaza Strip, carrying 3.5 tonnes (3.9 short tons) of medical supplies. Its passengers had stated that several Israeli naval vessels approached their boat after dark, 90 miles off the coast of Gaza.

According to Reuters, Free Gaza member David Halpin said that Israeli officers on board asked the captain to halt the Dignity's course to Gaza, but he refused. CNN's Penhaul, meanwhile, said one Israeli vessel rammed the sailboat causing heavy damage, while other passengers also claimed that several Israeli vessels fired machine guns into the water. The activists claimed that their boat was clearly in international waters, about "70-80 miles" or "90 miles" from the Gaza Strip coast. McKinney claimed that the Israeli vessel had rammed the boat "approximately three times, twice in the front and once in the side". Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor claimed that no shooting had occurred, the sailboat was inside Israeli territorial waters, and that it had failed to respond to Israeli naval radio contact. Palmor claimed that the the boat had crashed into an Israel vessel trying to outmaneuver it. Palmor also claimed that the fact that the ship was carrying journalists, including a CNN crew that had already broadcast live three times, proved that the incident was a provocation on the part of the media.

Immediately after the incident, the Dignity turned back. Palmor stated that the naval ship offered to assist the passengers but they declined the offer. Palmor also stated that Israeli ships then escorted the damaged boat to Cypriot territorial waters or, according to YNET, until it exited Israeli territorial waters. It did not have enough fuel to return to Cyprus and ended up docking in Lebanon, where it was greeted with cheering crowds.

Cypriot Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou stated that Cyprus would lodge a formal complaint regarding the incident. In a written statement, the Consulate General of Israel to the Southeast USA, based in Atlanta, Georgia, said that McKinney "has taken it upon herself to commit an act of provocation", endangering herself and the crew, and called her behavior "irresponsible". The Dignity is currently undergoing evaluation as the Free Gaza movement decides to bring suit against Israel for deliberately damaging the boat.

Ibrahim al-Maqadna mosque

Main article: 2009 Maqadna Mosque strike

On 3 January 2009, the Israeli Defense Force attacked the Ibrahim al-Maqadna mosque in Beit Lahiya during evening prayers. Witnesses said over 200 Palestinians were praying inside at the time. Thirteen people, including six children, were killed. Many more people were wounded. The mosques is located in the town of Beit Lahiya in the Gaza Strip. Israel has accused Hamas of using mosques to hide weapons and ammunition.

The IDF's Spokesperson Unit has published videos showing secondary explosions that occurred after destroying mosques, alleging that these were caused by the weapons and ammunition hidden in them.

Samouni family

Palestinian medics quoted in The UK Telegraph stated that in Zeitoun, massive civilian casualties were sustained after the Israeli army entered Gaza. They stated about 100 members of the Samouni an extended family were ordered to gather in a single house early in the morning on 4 January 2009. The next day at 6:35am, the house was repeatedly shelled. Between 60 and 70 family members were killed by shrapnel and falling masonry. A few survivors, some wounded, others carrying some of the dead or dying, managed to reach Gaza's main north-south road where they were able to get lifts to the hospital. The site of the killings could not be reached until 7 January 2009. Mohammed Shaheen, a volunteer with Palestinian Red Crescent, confirmed accounts from survivors of the extended Samouni clan who said they feared between 60 and 70 family members had been killed. He said that paramedics also found fifteen people still alive but injured that they took to the hospital, but that eight injured people were left behind because "we could not get to them and it was no longer safe for us to stay."
The New York Times reported different number of casualties quoting hospital official saying that 11 members of the Samouni extended family were killed and 26 wounded.

Attacks on United Nations' installations and workers

On January 8, during the three-hour truce period Israel said its forces would abide by to allow for humanitarian aid to reach civilians, Israeli forces opened fired on a UN aid convoy, killing two aid workers. 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.

UNRWA school

On January 6, two tank shells exploded outside a school run by UNRWA, spraying shrapnel on people inside and outside the building, where at least 350 Palestinians had sought refuge from fighting between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian militants. 43 people were killed in the attack. The strike took place near the Al-Fakhura school in Jabaliya in northern Gaza and was the third deadly Israeli attack near United Nations-run schools on January 6.

UNRWA said it was "99.9 percent sure" there were no militants in the school and called for "an independent investigation to establish the facts". UNRWA also stated that it cannot contradict Israel's claim that the militants were operating close by. Over two years earlier, on October 29th 2007, Israel Defense Forces had released a drone footage of mortars shot from a different school. Israel warned Ban Ki Moon about danger and requested to investigate. Ban Ki Moon condemned the attack, saying it was "totally unacceptable". On a subsequent UN report, the UNRWA has rejected Israeli claims that school was being used to fire mortars at the Israeli army. The UNRWA also stated that their shelters, which are not constructed to withstand bombardments, are already marked and their GPS locations are provided to the IDF.

The Israel Defense Forces initially claimed that mortars from inside the school were fired at Israeli forces, and that Israeli soldiers were responding to them. The IDF also claimed that numerous Hamas gunmen were inside, using the civilian refugees as human shields, and claimed to have found their bodies following the attack. Hamas called the claims "baseless". Residents of the neighborhood said that two Hamas fighters, Abu Asker and Hassan Abu Asker, were in the area at the time of the attack, but that the mortar fire had not come from the school compound, but from elsewhere in the neighborhood.

Israel acknowledged the following day that militant fire had come from outside the school compound, not from inside it.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ordered officials to look into taking Israel to international courts over the "massacre". The U.N. wanted an inquiry into both the assault and the Israeli allegations about militants firing from its schools. According to Reuters, "The deaths in the school prompted Obama to break his silence on the Gaza offensive and to say the loss of life among civilians was "a source of deep concern" for him." Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez said that Israel's operation against Hamas was “genocidal” and called for Ehud Olmert to be tried for war crimes. The Venezuelan government also expelled the Israeli ambassador.

Casualties

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Wounded Palestinians are treated on the floor of crowded Kamal Edwan hospital in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip on December 29, 2008

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Eli Azran father of Irit Shitrit (39), a mother of four, leans over her dead body as he mourns during her funeral on December 30, 2008 in Ashdod, Israel. Shitrit was killed by a Hamas rocket in Ashdod, Israel, after hearing a warning siren and taking shelter in a roadside bus stop.

Medical sources in Gaza and the UN reported that 702 Palestinians were killed as of 7 January; the civilian death toll was 300, including at least 220 children, while more than 2,800 have been injured. Hamas claims 10 of its fighters have been killed. Five Israelis (two soldiers and three civilians) have been killed in the same period by Palestinian rockets, and 5 soldiers were killed and 32 were injured during Israel's ground offensive. On 31 December, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip published a list of 187 of the people killed.

The UN has stated that during the first three days of the operation there are over 300 dead, of which at least 60 are women or children. However, Israel claimed most of the deaths during this period were members of Hamas security forces, including Tawfik Jaber, the chief of Hamas police in Gaza. As of 31 December, the death toll among Gaza Strip residents had reached 410, according to the director of the al-Shifa Hospital, Dr. Hussein, and more than 1,720 people were wounded, "hundreds" of them seriously. In the first 48 hours of the airstrikes, at least 32 Palestinian children were killed. A day earlier, the United Nations humanitarian chief had said that about 320 Palestinians had been killed and 1400 injured. The UN said that civilian casualties, defined only as women and children, were 62. Israel said that most of the deaths and injuries were Hamas militants, and said it takes careful steps to avoid harm to bystanders. In a press conference in Gaza City on 29 December, a de facto Hamas Interior Ministry spokesperson, Ihab al-Ghusein, stated that most of the victims of the attacks were "Gazans at work, not activists launching rockets." According to the New York Times, not all Hamas members necessarily fully accept the organisation's ideology; young men might be simply tempted by the steady work of the police force as jobs are scarce in Gaza due to an international embargo on Hamas. A police spokesperson, Islam Shahwan, stated that "at least 95% of the security services buildings" were destroyed, and that 138 police officers had been killed: nine in Rafah, 29 in Khan Younis, 70 in Gaza City and 30 "in the north." Israeli military sources claim to have killed 150 Hamas gunmen in ground fighting. Israeli military officials and Palestinian residents have both observed that due to the fact that many Hamas militants fight without uniforms, and are more likely to be tended by Hamas personnel than civilian hospitals in Gaza if wounded or killed, it is difficult at this time to verify the number of militant dead.

On the Israeli side, three civilians and one soldier have been killed by rocket attacks since the Gaza offensive began. Two soldiers have been killed in Gaza fighting, while four additional soldiers were killed by friendly tank fire.

BBC News, quoting Hamas run media sources, reported that Hamas claimed to have captured two IDF soldiers during the Israeli ground offensive, though the Israeli army has declared this to be an attempt at spreading demoralising disinformation. Hamas has also been accused of attacking Palestinians alleged to be collaborating with Israel. On January 5, news sources reported that Hamas claimed that it had killed nine Israeli soldiers while fighting them in the Gaza strip. Israel denied these claims. Israel claims it has captured 120 Hamas gunmen.

As of 7 January, the eleventh day of the attacks, the UN reports that at least 100 (one hundred) children have been killed, "almost one thousand" injured and "tens of thousands" traumatized. .

One Egyptian border guard was killed and one was wounded by Hamas gunmen.

Humanitarian crisis in Gaza

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A wounded Palestinian girl is carried into the Al-Shifa hospital on December 28, 2008 in Gaza City, Gaza.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs states that the Gaza strip humanitarian crisis is significant and should not be understated. The UN states that the situation is a "human dignity crisis" in the Gaza strip, entailing "a massive destruction of livelihoods and a significant deterioration of infrastructure and basic services". Fear and panic are widespread; 80 percent of the population cannot support themselves and are dependent on humanitarian assistance. A psychiatrist, who is the head of Gaza's mental health program, has estimated that nearly half of the population will suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Israel's foreign minister Tzipi Livni has stated that there's no humanitarian crisis in Gaza,and that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is "completely as it should be". The head of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, has criticised Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni for declaring that there's no humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. He also criticised the Security Council for not responding faster to the crisis. The International Red Cross said the situation was "intolerable" and a "full blown humanitarian crisis."

On 7 January, Israel agreed to a three-hour humanitarian truce, allowing supplies and fuel into Gaza. The UN replied that "any mechanism that facilitates the distribution of assistance is welcomed", but stated that the needs of the Gaza population are so great, that humanitarian assistance need to operate around the clock providing constant supply lines to meet the population humanitarian needs.

Shelter

The UN described the situation as a "critical protection crisis". The "entire civilian population" in the Gaza strip remains vulnerable, with no safe haven, no bomb shelters and with closed borders, making it one of the rare conflicts where "civilians have no place to flee". There is a sense of "panic, fear and distress" throughout the whole strip. Civilians have implemented a self-imposed curfew since no public warning systems or effective shelters exist. People have been evacuating their homes and staying in streets for long hours exposed to further danger, or staying with relatives. Civilians face insecurities while re-stocking basic food items, water and cooking gas. Most families are holed up in one or two rooms, without electricity and with barely running water. Children, 56% of the population, have no outlets and they remain "dangerously exposed" to the fighting around them. Entire families are moving to safer places at night.

The Palestinian Red Cross estimates that thousands of homes have been damaged and it became "increasingly difficult" for their residents to stay in them due to the cold weather. The UNRWA has prepared its schools to act as temporary shelters for displaced persons. As of January 1st, approximately 400 people spend the night under the UNRWA emergency shelters. As reported by both the Save the Children Alliance and the Al Mezan Center, prior to the IDF ground operation, more than 13,000 people (2000 families) have been displaced in the strip. The majority of those families seek shelter with relatives, while 1,200 people are staying on the temporary emergency shelters provided by the UNRWA. As of the eleventh day of war, approximately 16,000 Palestinians are staying on the UNRWA shelters. As of the thirteenth of day the Israeli military operation, 19,800 displaced Palestinian people are stying on the UNRWA shelters.

Fuel and electricity

The only power plant in Gaza is not operational due to the lack of industrial fuel and spare parts. As of 1 January, power outages last 16 hours per day. Due to localised damage following the airstrikes, some electrical lines have been cut, causing some areas to suffer from power cuts lasting 24 hours. In addition, due to the damage caused by the air strikes to 15 electrical transformers, as much as 250,000 people in central and northern Gaza have no electricity supply during the entire day and night. On the first of January, a 5MW line from Egypt to Rafah was damaged, extending the power cuts to Rafah, which usually has a continuous supply. Fuel for heating and cooking are no longer available and most of the 240 gas stations in Gaza City have been closed.

As of 4 January, there's almost total blackout in Gaza City, North Gaza, Middle Area and Khan Yunis. 90% of the telephone network, including both cellular service and land lines, is down, since it depends on backup generators with dwindling fuel stocks. Since the Israeli ground operation, 75% of Gaza's electricity has been cut off and the Palestinian technicians face difficulties reaching damaged lines because of the military attacks. As of 7 January, much of the population of the Gaza Strip continues to live without electricity.

Water

Since 5 November, there has been a shortage of chlorine for water treatment due to Israeli blockades, increasing the risk of outbreak of water diseases. On 27 December, Israeli airstrikes extensively damaged two water wells, rendering a population of 30,000 Palestinians without water. Since Wednesday 31 December, sewage and water systems in Beit Hanoun were hit at five locations causing considerable damage to the main sewage pipeline leading to sewage water pouring into the streets. On 2 January, airstrikes in the Al Mughraga area damaged a main drinking water pipe, cutting off water supplies to 30,000 people in Nuseirat Camp. The UN sums the situation that as of 2 January, 250,000 people in Gaza City and northern Gaza are without water supply; seven water wells were seriously damaged and cannot be repaired due to bombardments.

As of the fourth of January, and as reported by the Palestinian Coastal Municipality Water Utility (CMWU) throughout the UN reports, 70% of the Gaza strip 1.5 million population have no access to water. The CMWU also fears that continued shelling near the Beit Lahiya sewage lagoon will cause a massive sewage overflow. In addition to agricultural areas, up to 15,000 people are directly at risk.

Health

Weakened by the eighteen-month Blockade of the Gaza Strip, as of 31 December the central drug store reported that 105 drugs and 255 medical supplies of the essential drug and supplies list are still unavailable, and approximately 20 percent of the ambulances were grounded due to lack of spare parts. Ambulances are experiencing difficulties in reaching the injured because of continuous fire. Hospitals also suffer a "severe" shortage of cooking gas, which is expected to be totally depleted in the coming days. Due to this shortage, the WFP distributed canned meat and high energy biscuits. As a result of shortages, dozens of Gaza Arabs are being treated in Ashkelon's Barzilai Hospital, while others are crossing into Egypt from Gaza for treatment. According to the World Health Organisation, there are at least 1,000 medical machines out of order. As of the eighth day of war, this shortage of equipment and spare parts was still a "main challenge" but the Ministry of Health stated that "while conditions at hospitals are extremely precarious, the situation has stabilised, following the large volume of medical supplies received".

As of the fourth of January, all of Gaza City hospitals have been without main electricity for 48 consecutive hours, depending entirely on back-up generators. The hospitals warn that the generators are close to collapse. On the fourth of January, UNRWA had to close four out of its eighteen health centers because of hostilities in the vicinity, with one more center closed by the next day. On the fifth of January, generators at the Ministry of Health ambulance stations, vaccine stores, labs and warehouses shut down due to the lack of fuel, till the UNRWA delivered some short term fuel. Humanitarian organisations are receiving urgent requests for strong pain killers, body gas, bed sheets for wrapping the dead, and an urgent need for neuro-, vascular-, orthopedic- and open heart surgeons. Collateral damage to hospitals, broken windows as an example, are not being repaired. The Palestinian Red Cross has been unable to respond to many calls due to the military operations.

Cash

The Israeli shekel is a widely used currency in the Gaza Strip, and the territory needs at least 400 million shekels, or about $100 million each month in new currency to replace aging notes and to pay salaries. Since 24 December, the ban on the entry of banknotes into Gaza has hampered several humanitarian programs run by the UNRWA, the largest humanitarian assistance provider in the Gaza Strip. As of 7 January, the eleventh day of the attacks, cash has still not entered the Gaza Strip and is urgently needed, including for the UNRWA cash distribution program to some 94,000 dependent beneficiaries, as well as for its "cash for work" program.

Humanitarian Aid from Israel

On 28 December 2008, the Kerem Shalom border crossing was opened for 6 hours to allow 23 trucks of food and supplies to cross into Gaza. The crossing was opened again the two following days, bringing the total number of truckloads to 179, including 10 ambulances.Other humanitarian shipments include:

• 31 December 2008: 12 Palestinians entered Israel for medical treatment, including 2 children, together with their escorts. 93 truckloads of goods were delivered, bringing the total aid to 6500 tons.
• 1 January 2009: 8 chronically ill Palestinians entered Israel for medical treatment, together with their escorts. 60 truckloads (1360 tons) of aid were delivered.
• 2 January 2009: 64 trucks carried 1530 tons of aid into Gaza. 226 dual nationals were evacuated.
• 5 January 2009: 49 truckloads of aid entered Gaza. Also delivered through pipelines were 215,000 liters of fuel for the Gaza power station, 93,000 liters of diesel for UN organizations and 50 tons of domestic cooking gas. Two doctors and two nurses entered Gaza at the Erez crossing.
• 6 January 2009: 57 trucks loaded with 1312 tons of food, animal feed, and medical supplies were shipped into Gaza. There was also a shipment of hypochlorite for water purification.
• 7 January 2009: 80 trucks of food and medical supplies were shipped into Gaza, 500,000 liters of diesel were piped from the Nahal Oz terminal, and 60,000 liters of fuel were shipped by truck.

Israeli media campaign

Haaretz reported that Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni "instructed senior ministry officials to open an aggressive and diplomatic international public relations campaign in order to gain support for Israel Defense Forces operations in the Gaza Strip." Israeli officials at embassies and consulates worldwide have mounted campaigns in local media, and to that end have recruited people who speak the native language. Israel has also opened an international media centre in Sderot. Deputy Foreign Minister Majallie Whbee has criticised the international media coverage, claiming it has not shown the Israeli side. Israel's consulate in New York began holding online press conferences on Twitter, a microblogging website, and the IDF Spokesperson's Unit has opened a channel on the website YouTube.

On January 6, the New York Times reported that the blocking of media access to Gaza was part of an "unprecedented" effort on the part of the Israeli government to "control entirely the message and narrative for reasons both of politics and military strategy." According to the article, journalists prevented from entering Gaza had "full access to Israeli political and military commentators eager to show them around southern Israel, where Hamas rockets have been terrorising civilians," as well as to press tours of Israel by private groups funded by Americans.

The Foreign Press Association (FPA) of Israel issued a statement on January 6 addressing the situation:

The unprecedented denial of access to Gaza for the world’s media amounts to a severe violation of press freedom and puts the state of Israel in the company of a handful of regimes around the world which regularly keep journalists from doing their jobs.

Two days later, Index on Censorship reported that the FPA in Israel, "expressed anger over the Israeli government's continued refusal to allow foreign journalists into Gaza," noting that despite a ruling from the Supreme Court that journalists on a list compiled by the FPA must be allowed into the area, Israel was refusing to comply. Israeli press spokesperson, Daniel Seaman, said that the security situation was too dangerous to allow journalists to pass through the crossing, though a BBC reporter was allowed to enter, embedded with Israeli troops.

According to CNN, Israel is employing psychological tactics against Hamas by sending recorded phone calls to Gazans saying ""Urgent message, warning to the citizens of Gaza: Hamas is using you as human shields. Do not listen to them. Hamas has abandoned you and are hiding in their shelters", or dropping leaflets reading "that the IDF will continue using full force against Hamas...the toll will be very painful." Aid workers have said that the children who survive the conflict will have to endure lifelong "psychological scars". Meanwhile Hamas has sent its own messages to Israeli citizens' mobile phones, warning "rockets on all cities, shelters will not protect you."

Reactions

International Reactions

Main article: International reaction to the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict

Most members of the Arab League including Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Qatar, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen have called for an end to the Israeli "attack" and/or "aggression". Cuba, Iran, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey and Venezuela also criticised Israel. Iran accused Israel's supporters of condoning "Zionist terrorism". Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, and the United States defended Israel's attacks and condemned Hamas. Mauritania, one of three Arab League countries to hold diplomatic relations with Israel, recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv in the aftermath of the invasion of Gaza for "consultations."

On January 6, Venezuela expelled the Israeli ambassador and Hugo Chavez called for Ehud Olmert to be tried for war crimes.

The United Nations Security Council issued a statement on December 28 calling, "for an immediate halt to all violence", the Arab League, and the European Union made similar calls, as did Argentina, Brazil, China, Hungary, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, the Philipines, South Korea, and Vietnam. Libya pushed to issue a Security Council Resolution urging for a cease-fire, an effort which the US blocked, citing the failure of the statement made December 28.

Civilian protests

Further information: Civilian demonstrations and protests to the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict

Protesters in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Major protests against Israel were held world-wide in Istanbul (largest), London, Paris, Berlin, Moscow, Athens, Malta, Amsterdam, Dublin, Madrid, The United States, Iran, Syria, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, and throughout Africa. In Israel demonstrations were held both in support of the operation and against it. In Egypt, the protests resulted in the government's reopening of the Rafah border crossing to allow passage of food and medicine to Gaza. Smaller pro-Israel demonstrations were held in several American cities, and other cities worldwide.

Protesters in London, Paris, Oslo, and other cities clashed with the police. One Palestinian man was shot dead during a clash between Israeli troops and Palestinian youth in the West Bank. There were global isolated attacks against Jews, Israelis and Jewish targets, which were interpreted to be in response to the conflict. In the first days after the beginning of Operation Cast Lead, over 300 Israeli Websites have been hacked and defaced with anti-Israeli and anti-US messages.

On 8 January the largest protest yet was held in Damascus. Estimates of the number of protesters ranged from hundreds of thousands (Jerusalem Post) to one million (organisers).

Alleged violations of international law

File:2008-2009 Israel-Gaza conflict6.jpg

An Israeli police officer kneels over a dog that was badly injured after a rocket landed in the southern town of Sderot, Israel on December 30, 2008.

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 it ended its occupation of Gaza in 2005. However, the United Nations and other international organizations disagree.

By the Israel Defense Forces

On 27 December, the United Nations Human Rights Council, released a statement by Richard Falk, professor emeritus of international law at Princeton University and United Nations Special Rapporteur on "the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories", in his official capacity as Special Rapporteur. The statement described the Israeli airstrikes as "severe and massive violations of international humanitarian law as defined in the Geneva Conventions, both in regard to the obligations of an Occupying Power and in the requirements of the laws of war." In a Houston Chronicle article Falk wrote that he had "called on the International Criminal Court" to investigate Israeli leaders responsible for possible violations of international criminal law.

Richard Falk's UNHRC statement alleges three violations: “collective punishment” of all 1.5 million people in the Gaza Strip in response to the actions of a few; ”targeting of civilians” by carrying out air strikes in “the most densely populated area of the Middle East"; and ”disproportionate military response” in that Israeli’ attacks have "destroyed every police and security office of Gaza's elected government," and "killed and injured hundreds of civilians."

In response, Justus Weiner and Avi Bell of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs state that Israel's actions do not fall under the legal definition of collective punishment, because it has not imposed any criminal-type penalties, and there is no precedent for prosecuting collective punishment in circumstances such as these. They defend the proportionality of the Israeli attacks on the grounds that targeting of military installations is not a violation, even if attacks cause collateral damage to civilians, and that attacks were not intended to cause excessive civilian damage, even if Israel erred in its estimates.

By Palestinian militants

The UNHRC statement by Falk noted: "Certainly the rocket attacks against civilian targets in Israel are unlawful […]" The BBC reports 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."

Harvard law professor, Alan M. Dershowitz also accused Hamas of various war crimes including its use of the civilian population as human shields. He argues that "The use of human shields, in the way Hamas uses the civilian population of Gaza, is a war crime -- as is its firing of rockets at Israeli civilians. Every human shield that is killed by Israeli self-defence measures is the responsibility of Hamas […]"

Fathi Hamad a Hamas representative in the PA legislative council, takes pride on Palestinian TV in the fact that women and children are used as human shield in fighting Israel. He describes it as part of the "Death Industry" at which they excel, and explains that the Palestinians "desire death" the same way Israelis "desire life".

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 writes 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 constitute violation of the Laws of Armed Conflict, as outlined in Article 51(2) of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions of 1949.

In 2007 exiled Hamas political chief Khaled Mashaal, called recent rockets attacks on Israel "self defense." In a 2007 report on “Indiscriminate Fire” by both sides in the conflict Human Rights Watch stated that Hamas leaders “argue that rocket attacks on Israel are the only way to counter Israel's policies and operations, including artillery strikes.” But the organization insisted that, "Such justifications do not overcome the illegality of the attacks under international humanitarian law."

See also

• Military equipment of Israel
• Palestinian domestic weapons production

External links

• Ongoing news coverage from Aljazeera, BBC News, CNN, Christian Science Monitor, The Guardian, Haaretz, Jerusalem Post, Los Angeles Times, Palestine News Network
• 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict at Discourse DB
• The Palestinian Information Center
• "Israel's Attack on Gaza Strip - The reason." – 6 minutes 44 seconds long film at Google Video

Individual news articles

• "Israelis Face Satisfaction, Fear Over Gaza Attacks". FOXNews.com. FOX News Network. Associated Press. 30 December 2008. Retrieved 7 January 2009.
• Byers, David (31 December 2008). "Gaza: secondary war being fought on the internet". Times Online. Times Newspapers. Retrieved 7 January 2009.
• Qishta, Fida (3 January 2009). "Do Israel pilots feel happy killing innocent women and children? A Palestinian in Gaza chronicles life under Israeli bombardment". guardian.co.uk. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 7 January 2009.