Hamas' Military Wing in the Gaza Strip: Development, Patterns of Activity, and Forecast

On December 24, 2008, the Israeli cabinet led by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert authorized the IDF plan to attack the Gaza Strip and to change the security reality in the south of Israel in order to improve the lives of the local population. Three days later, the army embarked on Operation Cast Lead. The operation began with an air strike on Hamas military targets in the Gaza Strip. In two waves of attack involving more than 80 aircraft, the IDF destroyed rocket depots, outposts, training bases, and government centers. This was the start of a continuous, three week long battle, a new climax in the extended struggle between the IDF and Hamas in terms of scope of forces and firepower used by both sides and in terms of the damage to property and harm to people, especially on the Palestinian side.