Gaza War (2008–09)
Operation 'Cast Lead' - The name assigned by the Israeli military to its 22 day offensive against the Gaza Strip that began on 27 December 2008.
On 19 December 2008 a fragile six-month Israel-Hamas ceasefire was due to expire. Following Israel's violation of the ceasefire on 4 November when 6 Palestinians were killed during an IDF incursion into Gaza, there were sporadic violent clashes along the Israeli-Gaza border, together with a progressive tightening of the Israeli blockade which had been in place since 2000. On 18 December, with a surge in cross-border fighting, Hamas confirmed the end of the ceasefire, and indicated its refual to renew it absent an Israeli commitment to abide by its conditions. On 27 December Israel began a wave of airstrikes against targets within the Gaza Strip with the stated aim of stopping rocket fire. Israeli forces attacked military targets, police stations and government buildings. There was also significant so-called 'collateral damage' though its extent calls that description into serious question. In response, Hamas intensified its rocket and mortar attacks against Southern Israel, reaching the major cities of Beersheba and Ashdod for the first time. An Israeli ground invasion began on January 3, 2009. The war ended on 18 January when Israel declared a unilateral ceasefire followed 12 hours later by Hamas announcing a one-week ceasefire. Israel completed its withdrawal on January 21. The invasion left 1,500 Palestinians dead. 13 Israelis were killed - mostly by 'friendly fire'. Tens of thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed as were 15 of Gaza’s 27 hospitals and 43 of its 110 primary health care facilities, 800 water wells, 186 greenhouses, and 10,000 family farms. About half a million people were left without running water and one million without electricity.
In September 2009, a UN special mission, headed by Justice Richard Goldstone, produced a report accusing both Palestinian militants and Israeli Defense Forces of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity, and recommended bringing those responsible to justice
As of June 2010, the Wikipedia main article [1] is a substantial reference source on this subject but it is marked as having suspect neutrality. If the Israeli Hasbara [2] has its way (and it usually does), this article is likely to be substantially altered over time.
