Immediate events 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict

street in ramallah after idf raid during operation brother s keeper, june 2014



factory bursts in flames after rocket attack in sderot, israel, 28 june 2014

on 12 june 2014, 3 israeli teenagers abducted in west bank: naftali fraenkel, gilad shaer, , eyal yifrah. israel blamed hamas, israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu saying had unequivocal proof hamas involved , abduction linked palestinian reconciliation, , idf stated 2 men israel suspected of having kidnapped teenagers known members of hamas. no evidence of hamas involvement offered israeli authorities @ time. high-ranking members of hamas denied group had involvement in incident, , ex-shin bet chief yuval diskin doubted hamas had involvement. palestinian authority in west bank attributed abductions qawasameh clan, notorious acting against hamas s policies , attempts reach entente israel. hamas political chief khaled meshal said neither confirm nor deny kidnapping of 3 israelis, congratulated abductors. kidnappings condemned human rights organizations. documents released israel suggest hamas member hussam qawasmeh organized kidnappings $60,000 provided brother mahmoud through hamas association in gaza, after requesting support military operation . on 20 august, saleh al-arouri, exiled hamas leader based in turkey, claimed responsibility kidnapping of 3 israeli teens: our goal ignite intifada in west bank , jerusalem, within 1948 borders... brothers in al-qassam brigades carried out operation support imprisoned brothers, on hunger strike... mujahideen captured these settlers in order have swap deal. palestinian security forces said kidnappings organized saleh al-arouri. khalid meshaal, head in exile of hamas s political wing since 2004, acknowledged hamas members responsible, stated political leaders had no prior knowledge of abduction, not involved in military details , learnt of through ensuing israeli investigations. said while hamas opposed targeting civilians, understood palestinians frustrated oppression exercising legitimate right of resistance against occupation undertaking such operations. israel states idf , shin bet have foiled between 54 , 64 kidnapping plots since 2013. pa said had foiled 43 of them.

withholding evidence in possession suggesting teens had been killed until 1 july, israel launched operation brother s keeper, large-scale crackdown of called hamas s terrorist infrastructure , personnel in west bank, ostensibly aimed @ securing release of kidnapped teenagers. during operation, 11 palestinians killed , 51 wounded in 369 israeli incursions west bank through 2 july, , between 350 , 600 palestinians, including of hamas s west bank leaders, arrested. among arrested many people had been freed under terms of gilad shalit prisoner exchange. israeli military spokesman lt. col. peter lerner defended arrests, stating hamas members had carried out 60 abduction attempts on israelis in west bank in last year , half , , hamas not need give direct order. arrests yielded no information abduction. amnesty international , human rights watch stated aspects of operation amounted collective punishment, , b tselem said in press release actions have caused disproportionate harm basic rights of palestinians . during course of operation, israel said had uncovered hamas plot launch massive wave of violence throughout west bank, goal of overthrowing palestinian authority. purported coup plotters arrested , weapons stockpiles seized

on 30 june, search teams found bodies of 3 missing teenagers near hebron. after burial, anti-arab riot broke out, , palestinian teenager murdered in revenge. killing sparked arab rioting. israel police arrested 6 suspects belonging beitar jerusalem f.c. supporters group la familia , charged 3 of them murder.

as part of crackdown , concurrent rocket fire gaza, israel conducted air strikes against hamas facilities in gaza strip. hamas apparently refrained retaliating, though did not impede other factions firing rockets towards israel. 1 may 11 june, 6 rockets , 3 mortar shells launched gaza towards israel. 12 30 june 44 rockets , 3 mortar shells launched gaza. on 29 june, israeli airstrike on rocket crew killed hamas operative, while @ least 18 rockets launched gaza through next day hamas according both j.j. goldberg , assaf sharon, goldberg stating first time hamas directly launched rockets since conflict in 2012. overnight, on 30 june – 1 july, israeli airstrikes struck 34 gaza targets in officials stated response sunday rocketry, while stuart greer reported strikes revenge deaths of 3 youths. day of abductions on 12 june through 5 july 117 rockets launched gaza , there approximately 80 israeli airstrikes on gaza.

israel sought ceasefire refused accept hamas s condition palestinians arrested in west bank crackdown released. in meeting held on 2 july discuss crisis, hamas reportedly tried failed persuade armed factions in gaza uphold truce israel. following escalating rocket fire gaza, israel issued warning on 4 july able sustain militant rocket fire 24, or maximum 48, hours before undertaking major military offensive. hamas declared prepared halt rocket fire in exchange agreement israel stop airstrikes. netanyahu said israel act against further rocket attacks. on 5 july, hamas official osama hamdan said rocket fire continue until israel lifted import restrictions on gaza , palestinian authority transferred money pay hamas civil servants. between 4 , 6 july, total of 62 rockets fired gaza , iaf attacked several targets in gaza. following day, hamas assumed formal responsibility launching rocket attacks on israel. hamas increased rocket attacks on israel, , 7 july had fired 100 rockets gaza @ israeli territory; @ same time, israeli air force had bombed several sites in gaza. on 8 july, iaf bombed 50 targets in gaza strip. israel s military stopped militant infiltration sea. brigadier general moti almoz, chief spokesman of israeli military, said: have been instructed political echelon hit hamas hard. hamas insisted israel end attacks on gaza, release re-arrested during crackdown in west bank, lift blockade on gaza , return cease-fire conditions of 2012 conditions ceasefire.