Gaza War (2008–2009)

The Gaza War, also known as the First Gaza War, Operation Cast Lead, or the Gaza Massacre, and referred to as the Battle of al-Furqan by Hamas, was a three-week armed conflict between Gaza Strip Palestinian paramilitary groups and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) that began on 27 December 2008 and ended on 18 January 2009 with a unilateral ceasefire. The conflict resulted in 1,166–1,417 Palestinian and 13 Israeli deaths. Over 46,000 homes were destroyed in Gaza, making more than 100,000 people homeless.

A six month long ceasefire between Israel and Hamas ended on 4 November, when the IDF entered Deir al-Balah to destroy a tunnel, killing several Hamas militants. Israel said the raid was a preemptive strike in the wake of Hamas intentions to abduct Israeli soldiers, while Hamas characterized it as a ceasefire violation, and responded with rocket fire into Israel. Attempts to renew a truce between Israel and Hamas were unsuccessful. On 27 December, Israel began Operation Cast Lead with the stated aim of stopping rocket fire. Israel attacked police stations, military targets including weapons caches and suspected rocket firing teams, as well as political and administrative institutions in Gaza, Khan Yunis and Rafah. After hostilities broke out, Palestinian groups fired rockets in retaliation. The international community considers indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian structures as illegal under international law.

The Israeli ground invasion began on 3 January. On 5 January, the IDF began operating in densely populated urban centers of Gaza. During the last week of the offensive (from 12 January), Israel struck Palestinian rocket-launching units. Hamas intensified its rocket and mortar attacks against civilian targets in southern Israel, reaching Beersheba and Ashdod. The conflict ended on 18 January. The IDF declared a unilateral ceasefire, followed by Hamas' announcing a one-week ceasefire twelve hours later. The IDF completed its withdrawal on 21 January.

In September 2009, a UN special mission, headed by the South African Justice Richard Goldstone, produced a report accusing both Palestinian militants and the Israeli army of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity, and recommended bringing those responsible to justice. In 2011, Goldstone wrote that he did not believe that Israel intentionally targeted civilians in Gaza as a matter of policy. The other authors of the report, Hina Jilani, Christine Chinkin, and Desmond Travers, stated that no new evidence had been gathered to dispute the report's findings. On 21 September 2012, the United Nations Human Rights Council wrote that 75% of the homes damaged in the attacks remained in a state of disrepair.