On Friday December 19, 2008 Hamas announced on its website that its 6 month truce with Israel had officially come to an end. In response to the breakdown in negotiations for an extension of the truce, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak warned, “we are not afraid to launch a large-scale military offensive in Gaza.” (1) On Saturday December 27, 2008 the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched Operation Cast Lead.
On June 17, 2008 it was announced that Egypt had successfully brokered a 6-month truce between Hamas, and Israel. Hamas agreed to halt attacks on Israel from all Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip, and Israel agreed to ease its blockade on the Gaza border, and reopen 2 commercial passageways to allow for the flow of goods, which had been cut off since Hamas’ June 2007 take over. The 6-point agreement was hammered out over months of negotiations between Egyptian Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman, and Israeli and Hamas officials. (2)
The cease-fire, referred to as a “lull”, or “calming”, officially went into effect at 6 a.m. on Thursday June 19, 2008. 50 rockets were fired into Southern Israel from the Gaza Strip, and Israel launched an air strike, which killed a Hamas militant, the day before the truce went into effect. (3) The truce was entered into with a mutual distrust, and both Israel and Hamas have been accused of widespread violations.
The U.N. Human Rights Council echoed Richard Falk, the U.N Special Rappatour on Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories, in condemning Israel for its blockade, which continued in varying degrees throughout the cease-fire. Israel claimed its restrictions on the passage of goods were in retaliation to continued mortar shell and rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip. Throughout the lull, 223 Qassam rockets and 139 mortar shells were fired into Southern Israel. (4) Most occurred after the IDF’s November 4th operation in the Gaza Strip.
On November 4 2008, a unit of Israeli ground forces entered into the Gaza Strip based on intelligence that Hamas planned to abduct Israeli soldiers through an underground tunnel that connected the Gaza Strip to Israel. 7 Hamas militants were killed in the fighting, and the tunnel was destroyed. Egypt and Gaza have long been connected through an elaborate underground tunnel system, which Hamas has used to support its military build-up.
Since the cease-fire went into effect, Hamas has acquired sophisticated military equipment, and expanded its long-range ballistic missile capabilities. Hamas was believed to possess wire-guided anti-tank weapons systems, and rockets that could reach Ashkelon. In April 2008, Hamas had an estimated force strength of 20,000, and used the cease-fire as an opportunity to further increase, and train its forces. Hamas’ goal was to transform its armed branch into a military organization modeled after Hezbollah. (5)
Sources:
(1) “Hamas Declares End to Israel Truce” Al-Jazeera. 12/19/08
(2) “Israel in New Egypt Talks on Gaza Truce” Daily News Egypt. 6/12/08
(3) “Israel-Hamas truce takes effect in Gaza” CBC News. 6/19/08
(4) “Behind the headlines: rocket and mortar fire despite calm in the south” Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 12/10/08
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