Below is a detailed chronology that commences with Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005, outlining the major instances of escalation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian factions in the densely populated coastal region.
1. January 25, 2006 - The Islamist organization Hamas secures a majority of seats in a Palestinian legislative election. In response, Israel and the United States halted aid to Palestinians due to Hamas' refusal to renounce violence and recognize Israel.
2. June 25, 2006 - Hamas militants seize Israeli army conscript Gilad Shalit in a cross-border raid originating from Gaza. This event triggered Israeli air strikes and ground incursions. Shalit's release comes after over five years in captivity, as part of a prisoner exchange.
3. June 14, 2007 - Hamas assumes control of Gaza in a brief civil conflict, displacing Fatah forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who operates from the West Bank.
4. December 27, 2008 - Israel initiates a 22-day military operation in Gaza following Palestinian rocket attacks targeting the southern Israeli town of Sderot. The conflict resulted in approximately 1,400 Palestinian casualties and 13 Israeli fatalities before a ceasefire was reached.
5. November 14, 2012 - Israel eliminates Hamas's military chief of staff, Ahmad Jabari, leading to eight days of Palestinian militant rocket launches and Israeli aerial bombardments.
6. July-August 2014 - The abduction and murder of three Israeli teenagers by Hamas precipitate a seven-week-long war, during which more than 2,100 Palestinians are reported killed in Gaza, alongside 73 Israelis, 67 of whom are military personnel.
7. March 2018 - Palestinian demonstrations commence at Gaza's fenced border with Israel. Israeli forces employ live fire to deter protestors, resulting in over 170 Palestinian fatalities across several months of protests, which also instigate clashes between Hamas and Israeli military units.
8. May 2021 - After weeks of heightened tensions during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, clashes between hundreds of Palestinians and Israeli security forces erupt at the Al Aqsa compound in Jerusalem, the third holiest site in Islam. Following demands for the removal of Israeli security forces from the compound, Hamas launched a barrage of rockets from Gaza into Israel. Israel retaliated with airstrikes on Gaza, culminating in 11 days of fighting that led to at least 250 casualties in Gaza and 13 in Israel.
9. August 2022 - A three-day period of violence ensues when Israeli airstrikes target a senior commander of Islamic Jihad, resulting in the deaths of at least 44 individuals, including 15 children. Israel asserts that the strikes are a preemptive measure against an impending attack by the Iranian-backed militant faction, targeting commanders and weapons depots. In response, Islamic Jihad fired over 1,000 rockets toward Israel, with Israel's Iron Dome air defense system averting significant damage or casualties.
10. January 2023 - Islamic Jihad in Gaza launches two rockets toward Israel following an Israeli military operation in a refugee camp that resulted in the deaths of seven Palestinian gunmen and two civilians. While the rockets trigger alarms in Israeli communities near the border, they do not cause any casualties. Israel responds with airstrikes on Gaza.
11. October 2023 - In a notable escalation, Hamas conducts a surprise assault on Israel from the Gaza Strip, combining armed militants crossing the border with an intense barrage of rocket fire. Islamic Jihad claims its fighters have joined the offensive. Israel's military declares a state of war, indicating it has conducted strikes targeting Hamas in Gaza and has summoned reservists for duty.
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