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2007 Israel-Gaza conflict
Part of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and War on Terrorism

Area of the conflict
Date May 15, 2007 - current
Location Gaza Strip, West Bank, Sderot, Negev
Result Ongoing
Belligerents
 Israel (Israel Defense Forces) Hamas
Popular Resistance Committees

Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine

Commanders
Gabi Ashkenazi Khaled Meshaal
Mohammed Deif
Casualties and losses
11 killed, 131 wounded 409 killed
436+ injured
Palestinian civilians: 92 killed

Israeli civilians: 8 killed
83 civilians wounded
148+ treated for shock

Casualties source: Reuters

The 2007–2008 Israel–Gaza conflict refers to a series of battles between Palestinian militants and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) that began in mid-May 2007. Palestinians fired more than 220 Qassam rockets at Israel (Sderot and western Negev) in over a week. The Israeli Air Force fired missiles and bombs into Gaza. The fighting came amid serious Palestinian factional violence and reports of growing level of humanitarian crisis in Gaza.[1] Hamas said they will continue to retaliate against Israeli strikes. Israel also arrested Hamas officials in the West Bank, including two cabinet members.[2][3][4][5]

Background

See also: 2006 Israel-Gaza conflict

Since the latest truce, signed on November 26, 2006, militiamen of Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine and Hamas have shelled the Western Negev with crude homemade rockets, called Qassam rockets. Hamas is the ruling faction of the Palestinian National Authority. Since the disengagement plan was executed, thereby removing the ongoing IDF military presence from the area, the militias, especially Hamas, have also smuggled large numbers of machine guns, anti-tank missiles, grenades, explosive devices, and even anti-aircraft missiles into the Gaza Strip, making it very dangerous for Israeli forces to operate. In late April, heavy Palestinian inter-factional fighting broke out, especially between Hamas and Fatah. Leaders of both parties asked for cessation of the violence, calling instead for uniting against Israel.^{[citation needed]} The week before the conflict broke out, more than thirty rockets a day were fired at Israel. In response, on May 15 2007, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz decided together with military leader Gabi Ashkenazi that they would increase efforts against the ongoing rocket fire.

Airstrikes

In the first days of the conflict Israel responded with airstrikes at the very mobile Qassam launching cells, vehicles carrying Hamas militiamen, and buildings belonging to Hamas. The airstrikes may have been chosen because Hamas has very little AA weapons to defend themselves, so that the Israeli casualties will remain low.^{[citation needed]} On May 20, Amir Peretz told the IAF to maintain pressure on Hamas. As a result of the ongoing aerial attacks, Hamas members stopped using cellphones, driving in cars, and gathering in groups to avoid further assassinations. Thus far the airstrikes have killed over thirty Palestinians, about two-thirds militants and one-third civilians.[6]

Arrest

On May 24, more than thirty members of the political wing of Hamas were arrested in the West Bank, including ministers and members of parliament. Some Hamas mayors and legislators were also seized by the Israeli military. The detained include the mayors of Nablus, Qalqilyah, and Beita as well as Education Minister Nasser Shaer.[7] Israel has said "as long as the Qassams will rain down on the Western Negev, all of Hamas' members will be responsible," including the political wing of Hamas. Hamas has similarly said as long as the "Zionist aggression" continues, their military wing will continue to fire Qassams on Israeli territory.[8]

On May 26, the Palestinian Minister of State, Wasfi Kabha of Hamas, was arrested by the IDF in a raid on his village close to the West Bank city of Jenin. An aide to the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas from Fatah, Saeb Erekat, reacted to the arrests: "We have urged the U.S. and the EU to intervene to release the ministers and lawmakers [...] this step does not help to achieve calm."[9]

Timeline

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May 2007

May 15

After more than 200 Qassam rockets attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz respond with airstrikes.

May 16

The Israeli Air Force attacked a building housing the Hamas headquarters of the Executive Force in Rafah, leaving four dead and dozens wounded. The airstrike came in the middle of heavy fighting between forces loyal to Fatah and to Hamas, part of the ongoing Palestinian factional violence. Thirty Qassam rockets were fired at the Western Negev, leaving two residents of Sderot injured. Ten others suffered from shock.[10][11][12]

May 17

Two people died in Rafah after their vehicle was hit by a missile fired by the IAF. The two had reportedly been in the process of launching Qassam rockets. More vehicles were hit by the IAF, leaving a member of a Qassam launching cell critically injured.

A Hamas base of operations was destroyed by Israeli missile attacks, leaving one militant dead and wounding more than thirty people, including civilians. Two people in Sderot were slightly injured by one of the ten rockets that landed on Israeli territory.[13]

May 18

Five members of Hamas were killed in an airstrike on a building in northeast Gaza that served as a meeting place for Hamas members. The IDF said "it was suspected that a tunnel was being dug there into Israeli territory." Hamas stated that the missiles were fired at members standing in an olive grove. In a Qassam rocket attack on Sderot, three people were injured. Twenty rockets were fired at a kibbutzim in Sderot.[14]

May 19

The IAF killed two members of Hamas in an airstrike on their vehicle. A third passerby later died of his injuries. An empty school and several houses in Jabalya were destroyed by artillery shells. No injuries were reported.[15]

May 20

Ten rockets were fired from Gaza with four landing in southern Israel, but there were no injuries according to an Israeli spokesman. The IAF also launched an airstrike in Gaza City killing eight people, including Hamas militiamen, and at least thirteen others were wounded. Israel claims that five of those killed were militiamen, while Hamas claims only two were. The airstrike was targeted at the house of Hamas politician, Khalil al-Haya, who was not home at the time.