The Gaza Strip, part of the de jure State of Palestine, was militarily occupied by the State of Israel in 1967 during the Six-Day War. In 2005, Israel removed its civilian settlers and military forces from the territory in a unilateral disengagement, returning Gaza to Palestinian control. The following year saw the victory of Hamas—a Palestinian Islamist militant organization—in the 2006 Palestinian legislative election. Hamas' rise to power led to growing chaos and lawlessness in Gaza as the group engaged rival Palestinian faction Fatah in a battle for control of the territory. During this conflict, Muslim militants threatened the life of the bookshop's manager, Rami Ayyad, and the establishment was bombed twice, with the second attack dealing substantial damage to the property.