The history of the conflict between Israel and Hamas is complex and spans several decades, intertwined with the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Hamas, an acronym for the "Islamic Resistance Movement", has played a significant role in this ongoing conflict.
Key Periods and Major Conflicts
Pre-2007: Emergence and Early Actions
- 1987: Hamas is founded during the First Intifada.
- 1990s - early 2000s: Hamas engages in suicide bombings and other attacks against Israelis. The U.S. State Department designates Hamas as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 1997.
- 2005: Israel unilaterally withdraws its settlers and forces from the Gaza Strip.
- 2006: Hamas wins the Palestinian legislative election. Due to its refusal to accept the terms of the Oslo Accords, many Western countries refuse to deal with Hamas.
- 2007: Hamas violently seizes control of the Gaza Strip from the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority. In response, Israel imposes a blockade on Gaza.
Post-2007: Major Wars and Escalations
Since Hamas took control of Gaza, there have been several major military conflicts and numerous smaller skirmishes:
2008-2009: Gaza War (Operation Cast Lead)
- Context: Following increased rocket fire from Gaza and a breakdown of a ceasefire.
- Events: Major Israeli air strikes and a ground invasion of Gaza.
- Impact: Devastating for Gaza, high civilian casualties, weakened Hamas's military capacity.
2012: Operation Pillar of Defense
- Context: Escalation of rocket fire from Gaza and targeted Israeli assassinations of Hamas leaders.
- Events: Focused largely on Israeli air strikes against Hamas targets in Gaza.
- Impact: Ended with a ceasefire agreement.
2014: Operation Protective Edge
- Context: Increased rocket fire, abduction and murder of three Israeli teenagers, and Israeli crackdowns on Hamas in the West Bank.
- Events: Prolonged Israeli aerial campaign and a ground invasion into Gaza.
- Impact: Extensive destruction in Gaza, high Palestinian casualties, and significant rocket attacks on Israel.
2021: Israel-Hamas Crisis
- Context: Tensions over Jerusalem, including Israeli actions at Al-Aqsa Mosque and forced evictions in Sheikh Jarrah.
- Events: Hamas launched rockets at Jerusalem and southern Israel, followed by extensive Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.
- Impact: Widespread damage in Gaza, casualties on both sides, and renewed international attention.
October 7, 2023 - Present: The Israel-Hamas War
- Context: Hamas launched a massive, coordinated surprise attack on southern Israel, involving rocket barrages and ground incursions by militants.
- Events:
- October 7, 2023: Hamas's initial attack.
- October 2023 onwards: Israel declared war, launched intensive aerial bombardment and a ground invasion of Gaza. A "complete siege" was imposed, cutting off electricity, food, water, and fuel.
- November 2023: A temporary ceasefire allowed for a hostage-prisoner exchange and a surge in humanitarian aid, but hostilities resumed.
- 2024: Israeli operations continued throughout Gaza, including in Khan Yunis and an offensive in Rafah (starting May 2024). Humanitarian crisis deepens with widespread displacement and starvation.
- Early 2025: Another ceasefire attempt (January-March 2025) broke down.
- March 2025 - Present: Renewed Israeli offensives, continued fighting, and regional escalation involving Hezbollah, Houthi rebels, and direct exchanges between Iran and Israel.
- Impact (as of June 2025): Tens of thousands of Palestinians killed in Gaza (over half women and children), widespread destruction, vast displacement, severe humanitarian crisis, regional instability.