Israel on the one hand, and the Palestinian movements Hamas and Islamic Jihad on the other, have fought a succession of wars in the Gaza Strip since 2008. This Saturday, October 7, Israel is once again “at war”, announced its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as thousands of rockets were fired from Gaza and fighting raged around the enclave between the Israeli army and infiltrated Palestinian fighters.
“Cast lead”
On December 27, 2008, Israel launched a vast air offensive against the Gaza Strip to put an end to rocket fire from this Palestinian territory which the Islamist movement Hamas has controlled since 2007 (Operation “Cast Lead”). On January 3, 2009, Israeli troops entered Palestinian territory. On January 18, a ceasefire put an end to the operation. Some 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed. In July, Amnesty International published a damning report on the offensive, accusing both Israel and Hamas of “war crimes”.
“Pillar of defense”
On November 14, 2012, the Israeli army launched Operation “Pillar of Defense” against armed groups in Gaza, which began with the targeted assassination of the head of Hamas military operations, Ahmad Jaabari. In eight days of intensive airstrikes, more than 170 Palestinians died, including around a hundred civilians. Six Israelis, including four civilians, are killed. The Israeli army says it struck 1,500 targets, including 19 command centers. More than 900 rockets launched from Gaza reached Israel, more than 400 others were intercepted. The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, claim to have fired more than 1,500 rockets alone.
“Protective edge”
On July 8, 2014, Israel launched Operation Protective Edge to stop rocket fire and destroy tunnels dug from Gaza. On August 26, after 50 days of war, Hamas and Israel concluded a ceasefire agreement, negotiated through Egypt. The war, which ravaged the enclave, left at least 2,251 dead on the Palestinian side, most of them civilians, and 74 on the Israeli side, almost all soldiers. Nearly 55,000 houses were affected by Israeli strikes, including at least 17,200 totally or almost completely destroyed, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha).
“Guardian of the walls”
In 2021, Hamas launched hostilities on May 10 by firing salvos of rockets in “solidarity” with the hundreds of Palestinians injured during clashes with Israeli police on the Esplanade des Mosques in Jerusalem, the third holiest site in the Islam. In the process, Israel launched Operation “Guardian of the Walls” aimed at “reducing” Hamas’ military capabilities by increasing airstrikes. After intense diplomatic negotiations, a ceasefire came into force on May 21. In 11 days, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, Palestinian movements described as “terrorist” by Israel, the European Union and the United States, launched more than 4,300 rockets, firing of unparalleled intensity against Israel. 90% of projectiles were intercepted by its anti-missile shield. The clashes left at least 232 dead on the Palestinian side, including 65 children, and 12 dead in Israel, including a six-year-old child and a 16-year-old girl.
“Shield and Arrow”
A few days after exchanges of fire with Islamic Jihad, Israel launched air raids on the Gaza Strip on May 9, 2023 (Operation “Shield and Arrow”) which killed 15 Palestinians, including three military commanders of the movement. Islamic Jihad responded with several hundred rockets, which caused no injuries in Israel.
On May 11 and 12, Israel eliminated two military leaders of the Palestinian movement in quick succession. A truce negotiated by Egypt comes into force on May 13 after five days of war which left 35 dead.