Gaza War (2008–2009)

The Gaza War was a three-week armed conflict that took place in the Gaza Strip during the winter of 2008–2009. It was codenamed Operation Cast Lead ( Mivtza Oferet Yetzuka) by the Israeli government.

The Gaza War is said to have begun when Israel started an air strike against the Gaza Strip on Dec. 27. This was after a six-month truce between Israel and Hamas had run out and Hamas had resumed rocket attacks against Israel. Israel's said its aim was to stop Hamas' rocket attacks on IsraelTIMELINE - Israeli-Hamas violence since truce ended , Reuters 05-01-2009 from and arms import into the territory.Bright, Arthur. Israel set to launch ‘limited operation’ in Gaza, Christian Science Monitor, December 26, 2008.  Israeli forces attacked military targets, police stations and government buildings. Hamas intensified its rocket and mortar attacks against Southern Israel, reaching the major cities of Beersheba and Ashdod for the first time.Rockets land east of Ashdod m Ynetnews, December 28, 2008; Rockets reach Beersheba, cause damage, Ynetnews, December 30, 2008.  An Israeli ground invasion began on January 3, 2009. The war ended on January 18, when Israel first declared a unilateral(one-sided) ceasefire, followed by Hamas' announcing a one-week ceasefire twelve hours later. Israel completed its withdrawal on January 21.Hamas, Israel set independent cease-fires , CNN International; Last Israeli troops 'leave Gaza', BBC News, January 21, 2009. The conflict resulted in between 1,166 and 1,417 Palestinian and 13 Israeli deaths.Al-Mughrabi, Nidal. Israel tightens grip on urban parts of Gaza 

References
 Notes 

 Citations 

 Sources 





Other websites

 Aljazeera coverage
 Gaza crisis: key maps and timeline, BBC News.
 CNN coverage.

 Gabi Siboni, "From the Second Intifada through the Second Lebanon War to Operation Cast Lead: Puzzle Pieces of a Single Campaign" , Military and Strategic Affairs, Volume 1, No. 1, April 2009.
 Gabi Siboni, "Operations Cast Lead, Pillar of Defense, and Protective Edge: A Comparative Review" , a chapter inside The Lessons of Operation Protective Edge, eds. Anat Kurz and Shlomo Brom, INSS, 2014.

Category:2008 in Asia
Category:2009 in Asia
Category:Arab–Israeli conflict
Category:History of the Gaza Strip
Category:Gaza–Israel conflict
Category:Wars involving the State of Palestine
Category:Wars involving Asia
Category:2000s conflicts
Category:Gaza War (2008–2009)