At-a-glance: Israel-Hamas conflict

19 Nov 2012, 3:54 pm   -   Source: AP, SBS
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Here's a look back at the events that spurred the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip.

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Here's a look back at the events that spurred the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip.

June 1967: Israel seizes the Egyptian-controlled Gaza Strip during war. An Israeli census put the population at 380,000, at least half of whom were refugees from Israel. Currently the population stands at about 1.65 million. The UN lists 1.2 million as refugees and their descendants.

December 1987: A clash in the Jebaliya refugee camp sets off Palestinian uprising which lasted until 1993 and claimed the lives of over 2,000 Palestinians and 192 Israelis. The militant Islamic Hamas is formed early in the uprising.

June 2003: Israel imposes a complete closure of Gaza on UN international staff, restricting humanitarian aid to the area.

September 2005: Israel withdraws its troops and 8,500 Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip. Israel retains control of Gaza's airspace, coastal waters and border crossings, leading the Palestinians and some Israeli legal experts to argue that Israel is still an occupier.

Jan 26, 2006: Hamas wins a large majority in the Palestinian parliament over the more moderate party Fatah. Despite the win, Hamas never goes on to take control of the Palestinian Authority, which continues to be ruled by President Mahmoud Abbas.

June, 2007: Hamas violently seizes control of the Gaza Strip from Fatah. Hamas is considered a terrorist group by governments including Israel, the US and Australia.

June 2008: Hamas and Israel reach a truce to halt the cross-border rocket attacks and end Israeli offensives against Hamas an its leaders.

November 2008: Palestinians resume rocket and mortar fire into Israel after Israeli incursion.

December 19, 2008: Hamas formally declares the truce over.

December 27, 2008: Israel launches a fierce air offensive, killing more than 200 Palestinians in the first day.

January 1, 2009: Israel launches an air strike on the home of Hamas figure Nizar Rayyan, killing him along with his four wives and seven children. Rayyan was the highest-ranking religious leader of Hamas, and has been called the mastermind of the 2004 Ashdod Port attack in Israel.

January 15, 2009: Hamas leader Said Seyam killed in an airstrike in Jabilia.

May 31, 2010: Nine people are killed as Israeli forces storm a Gaza-bound convoy of ships some 64 kms off the coast of Israel. Activists onboard the vessels were attempting to defy a blockade imposed by Israel in order to provide aid to the Palestinian territory.

April 7, 2011: An anti-tank missile launched from the Gaza Strip hits an Israeli school bus, injuring two people including a teenage boy. Israel retaliated with air strikes that lasted several days and resulted in the deaths of 19 people.

April 27, 2011: Fatah and Hamas sign a historic reconciliation accord in Cairo, uniting under the common goal of opposing the Israeli occupation. Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu responded saying that Mahmoud Abbas could not hope for a peace deal with Israel while building an alliance with Hamas.

August 21, 2011: Israel arrests 120 Hamas leaders in the southern West Bank after a round of missiles are launched from Gaza into Israeli territory.

March 12, 2012: Gaza violence spikes as Israel launches a wave of rockets into the territory. According to reports, around 20 Palestinians were killed by airstrikes while 120 rockets landed in Israel, wounding four. 

November 14, 2012: The head of Hamas’ military wing, Ahmed al-Jaabari, was killed by Israeli rocket fire in a targeted attack, sparking renewed fighting between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza strip.

Israel Palestine , Gaza , Hamas

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Israel fundamentalists want Hamas

Wayne C - from Berwick, 6 months ago

When Israel invaded the Gaza strip it was occupied by people who had fled Israel. Israel didnt want a neighbour outside of their control right on their doorstep, so they simply invaded and took it. .. and still bleat they dont understand why people feel antagonised and persecuted by them. Israel has a symbiotic relationship with Hamas as they use it to get world sympathy but that is fast running out as its obvious settlement encroachment has been a State sponsored program

It's all about OIL

Mike - from Mulgrave Vic, 7 months ago

Why is the world so focussed on Israel? Because the Arabs have OIL and they despise a Jewish State in their geographic midst. To all of you who worry sooooo much about Palestinian deaths, get your perspectives right. 150 die a day in Syria! around 35,000 have been slaughtered there over the last 2 years. Do you care? Are you crying? Do you post blogs and comments about that? For heaven's sake, get some perspective. Don't allow Australia to succumb to the Islamic ways of Europe!!!

Double Standards- part 1

Andrew - from Melbourne, 7 months ago

It is pathetic how some people finds it ok to throw more than 2 million palestinians out of palestine but not ok "at all" for the palestians even to think about joining the UN as a non-member country and nation. It is also pathetic to see Israel "enjoying" over 240 UN and Security Council resolutions which either condemn its acts or order it to withdraw from occupied lands in the region and simply "Israel" does not care? Double standards and very pathetic manipulation of international justice

Cynicism or reality !

C B E - from Melba, 7 months ago

There have been some positive outcomes, Israel and the USA have tested the 'dome defence system' Iran has tested their 'unguided' rockets, what better User Acceptance Testing could you have. Politically, Egypt's new government gets some good visibility managing a peace agreement, newly elected US president gets points for mediation, and let’s not forget the positive spin that will be applied in the upcoming elections in Israel. Am I being cynical ?

Lets be Human

Human - from Nsw, 7 months ago

I don't support Israel or Palestine. Where is the UN? Why doesn't the UN take actions to stop this blood shed? Lets not forget that the next generation is being destroyed. This war is taking away the beautiful childhood those children deserve. Babies are killed in their mother's wombs. Don't they have the right to see the outside world at least for once? I feel the UN has to involve and take full control of the Gaza Strip and put an end to this man slaughter.

Hamas are contemptible

Fred - from Melbourne, 7 months ago

So lets get this straight. Hamas launches rocket barrages against Israeli civilian targets then whines when Israel fires back ? Contemptible. Hamas doesn't accept Israel's right to exist but expects Israel to tolerate their right to exist ? Contemptible. Hamas makes deals with Iran and breaks truces when it suits them, ignoring the plight of their own civilian population. Contemptible. Israel is not a bully, Israel has a psychotic spoilt brat for a neighbor in Gaza, and reacts accordingly.

Penned in with no hope

Al - from Black Rock, 7 months ago

1.2 million people penned in from all sides after being evicted from their land, threatened with guns and bombed at will,what else can they do but try to fight back against this horrendous apartheid regime as the world shuts its eyes to their plight.

Conflict

Graham - from Sydney, 7 months ago

I'm sorry but how would u feel if your country is daily get bombarded with rockets... Would u put a stop to it? Of course you! How is it wrong that Israel defends itself? Of course there will be civilian deaths only for the fact that Hamas uses them as a human shield and stores their ammunition in schools and hospitals... Support Israel! And stop promoting global Terror

Isreal is like the school yard bully

Tommy Obama Lewinsky Goldstein - from New York Metro, 5 years ago

Notice these time lines, it is clear to me that Israel is the one who increases pressures or provokes their neighbors to retaliate with outright extreme violence (agreed) which is then followed by Israel blowing them up with US provided high tech weaponry.
Israel acts like the school yard bully who steals lunch money, breaks your kite, humiliates you in front of others until you lash out and punch the bully.
The bully then beats the crap out of you... Israel is a bully.

Hypocrisy in Action

Muslims Against Sharia - from Washington, 5 years ago

Hypocrisy in Action: Where were Egypt, Russia, OIC, EU, Britain, Sarkozy, US & Austria when Hamas was pounding Israel with daily barrage of rockets? http://muslimsagainstsharia.blogspot.com/2008/12/hypocrisy-in-action.html
"Innocent Civilian" Hamas Terrorists Killed by Israeli Airstrikes http://muslimsagainstsharia.blogspot.com/2008/12/innocent-civilian-hamas-terrorists.html

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