As part of the operation Military_operation , in the following 11 days Israel arrested Arrest around 350 Palestinians , including nearly all of Hamas ' West Bank leaders .

On 15 June , Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Telling that the teens had been kidnapped Kidnapping by Hamas , which Hamas denied .

On 15 June , Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Telling that the teens had been kidnapped Kidnapping by Hamas , which Hamas denied .

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas maintained that as of 22 June there was no evidence that Hamas was behind the kidnapping Kidnapping .

On 25 July , BBC correspondent Jon Donnison tweeted that Israeli police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld stated Statement that the kidnappings Kidnapping did not occur Presence on the orders of , or with the knowledge of the Hamas leadership , and that the crime Committing_crime was the action of a `` lone cell '' .

According to court documents , Qawasmeh stated that Hamas members in Gaza financed Supply the recruitment and arming of the killers .

On 26 June , the Israel Security Agency released Releasing the identities of two Hamas suspects in the kidnapping Kidnapping .

On 20 August 2014 , a Hamas official Salah al-Arouri , who had been publicly identified Check as the mastermind of the operation Military_operation several days after the kidnapping Kidnapping , on 19 June , said that the organization Arranging 's armed Bearing_arms wing , the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades , was behind the kidnapping Kidnapping and murder Killing .

The Shin Bet had been investigating Criminal_investigation him in the belief that he ran a major Hamas network in the West Bank , headed Motion by Riad Nasser of Deir Qadis , near Ramallah , and that he was behind the kidnapping Kidnapping .

al-Arouri , one of the founders of Hamas 's military wing , made Manufacturing his comments Statement at a conference Communication in Istanbul , where he lives in exile .

Hamas leader Khaled Mashal said that some Hamas members had kidnapped Kidnapping and murdered Killing the Israeli teens but stated Statement that they were not acting on orders from the Hamas leadership , which he said Telling , were `` not aware of this action taken Conquering by this group of Hamas members in advance '' and the first he heard about it was through the Israeli investigation Scrutiny into the events .

Hamas leader Khaled Mashal said that some Hamas members had kidnapped Kidnapping and murdered Killing the Israeli teens but stated Statement that they were not acting on orders from the Hamas leadership , which he said Telling , were `` not aware of this action taken Conquering by this group of Hamas members in advance '' and the first he heard about it was through the Israeli investigation Scrutiny into the events .

Hamas leader Khaled Mashal said that some Hamas members had kidnapped Kidnapping and murdered Killing the Israeli teens but stated Statement that they were not acting on orders from the Hamas leadership , which he said Telling , were `` not aware of this action taken Conquering by this group of Hamas members in advance '' and the first he heard about it was through the Israeli investigation Scrutiny into the events .

Hamas leader Khaled Mashal said that some Hamas members had kidnapped Kidnapping and murdered Killing the Israeli teens but stated Statement that they were not acting on orders from the Hamas leadership , which he said Telling , were `` not aware of this action taken Conquering by this group of Hamas members in advance '' and the first he heard about it was through the Israeli investigation Scrutiny into the events .

Meshaal , who has headed Hamas ' exiled political wing Motion since 2004 , has denied being involved Cause_to_be_included in the `` details '' of Hamas `` military issues '' .

Meshaal , who has headed Hamas ' exiled political wing Motion since 2004 , has denied being involved Cause_to_be_included in the `` details '' of Hamas `` military issues '' .

According to J.J. Goldberg , the military indictment contains Containing no evidence of orders from Hamas itself and strengthens Cause_change_of_strength the thesis that the incident Killing was organized Arranging by the Qawasmeh family alone from start to finish .

According to Amos Harel and Chaim Levinson , the kidnappers planned to wait a few days , then contact senior Hamas operatives in the Hebron area , to manage Control the hostage and negotiate a prisoner swap with Israel .

In their view it appears Presence doubtful that any senior Hamas official would have been ready GetReady to accept that kind of risk .

On 6 January 2015 , Hussam Qawasmeh , a member of Hamas , was jailed Prison and sentenced Legal_rulings to three life terms in prison for the murders Killing .

Israel 's stated goals in Operation `` Summer Rains '' were to suppress Control the firing of Qassam rockets from Gaza into the western Negev , and to secure the release of Corporal Gilad Shalit , who had been captured Conquering by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on June 25 .

Egypt acted as a mediator over the issue of the officer 's release , and on August 15 a senior Hamas official said Statement it would not release Releasing Shalit except in exchange for the release of thousands of Palestinian detainees by Israel .

When `` Autumn Clouds '' ended Process_end on November 26 with an Israeli withdrawal Escaping and ceasefire Process_end between Hamas and Israel , no deal for the release of Shalit had been reached Arriving .

The ceasefire broke down Destroying completely amid escalating conflict between Hamas and Fatah in 2007 .

Hamas did not participate Participation in the fighting Hostile_encounter directly , and insisted that all-out war Hostile_encounter would `` be devastating Destroying to the Palestinian people . ''

Two Palestinians , believed by Hamas to be former Fatah security officers and current employees Employment of a senior Fatah official , were taken Conquering into custody in Dubai , on suspicions that one of them provided Supply logistical assistance to the hit team .

Despite Hamas 's claim Statement , Dubai would not comment Statement on the incident or identify the two Palestinian suspects .

The Hamas leadership also holds Defending Israel responsible , and has vowed Commitment revenge .

Hamas , which is itself on the U.S. State Department list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations , European Union lists of terrorist Terrorism organizations , and also considered a terrorist Terrorism organization Being_in_operation by the governments of Israel , and Japan , as is its military arm by the United Kingdom and Australia , requested Request that Israel be added Cause_change_of_position_on_a_scale by the EU to its list because of suspicions that Israel was involved Cause_to_be_included in the assassination Killing .

Khalfan would also suggest that a Hamas associate Collaboration fed information to Mossad .

This was denied by Hamas which blamed Judgment_communication Fatah for helping Assistance the Mossad hit team .

Egyptian authorities also stated Statement that the militants received Receiving logistical support Supporting from Hamas .

Following the kidnapping Kidnapping and murder Killing of three Israeli teenagers by Hamas members , the IDF conducted Action `` Operation Brother 's Keeper '' to arrest Arrest militant leaders , Hamas fired Use_firearm rockets into Israel and a seven-week conflict Hostile_encounter broke out Process_start .

Following the kidnapping Kidnapping and murder Killing of three Israeli teenagers by Hamas members , the IDF conducted Action `` Operation Brother 's Keeper '' to arrest Arrest militant leaders , Hamas fired Use_firearm rockets into Israel and a seven-week conflict Hostile_encounter broke out Process_start .

The stated aim of the Israeli operation Military_operation was to stop Preventing_or_letting rocket fire Use_firearm from Gaza into Israel , which increased Cause_change_of_position_on_a_scale after an Israeli crackdown Attack on Hamas in the West Bank was launched Process_start following the 12 June kidnapping Kidnapping and murder Killing of three Israeli teenagers by two Hamas members .

The stated aim of the Israeli operation Military_operation was to stop Preventing_or_letting rocket fire Use_firearm from Gaza into Israel , which increased Cause_change_of_position_on_a_scale after an Israeli crackdown Attack on Hamas in the West Bank was launched Process_start following the 12 June kidnapping Kidnapping and murder Killing of three Israeli teenagers by two Hamas members .

On 7 July , after seven Hamas militants died Death in a tunnel explosion Attack in Khan Yunis which was caused Causation by an Israeli airstrike Attack ( per Hamas , Nathan Thrall , BBC and a senior IDF official ) or an accidental explosion Attack of their own munitions ( per the IDF ) , Hamas assumed Protest responsibility for rockets fired Use_firearm into Israel and launched Military_operation 40 rockets towards Israel .

On 7 July , after seven Hamas militants died Death in a tunnel explosion Attack in Khan Yunis which was caused Causation by an Israeli airstrike Attack ( per Hamas , Nathan Thrall , BBC and a senior IDF official ) or an accidental explosion Attack of their own munitions ( per the IDF ) , Hamas assumed Protest responsibility for rockets fired Use_firearm into Israel and launched Military_operation 40 rockets towards Israel .

On 7 July , after seven Hamas militants died Death in a tunnel explosion Attack in Khan Yunis which was caused Causation by an Israeli airstrike Attack ( per Hamas , Nathan Thrall , BBC and a senior IDF official ) or an accidental explosion Attack of their own munitions ( per the IDF ) , Hamas assumed Protest responsibility for rockets fired Use_firearm into Israel and launched Military_operation 40 rockets towards Israel .

By that date , the IDF reported Reporting that Hamas , Islamic Jihad and other militant groups had fired Use_firearm 4,564 rockets and mortars from Gaza into Israel , with over 735 intercepted Defending in flight Motion and shot down Use_firearm by Iron Dome .

The IDF attacked Attack 5,263 targets in Gaza ; at least 34 known tunnels were destroyed Destroying and two-thirds of Hamas 's 10,000-rocket arsenal was used up Expend_resource or destroyed Destroying .

The Gaza War , also known as Operation Cast Lead ( ) , also known in the Muslim world as the Gaza Massacre ( ) and the Battle of al-Furqan ( ) by Hamas , was a three-week armed conflict Hostile_encounter between Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and Israel that began Process_start on 27 December 2008 and ended Process_end on 18 January 2009 in a unilateral ceasefire .

Hamas stated Statement its rocket fire was in response Response to Israeli military actions , subsequent to what Hamas stated Statement was a unilateral Israeli violation of a ceasefire several weeks earlier .

Hamas stated Statement its rocket fire was in response Response to Israeli military actions , subsequent to what Hamas stated Statement was a unilateral Israeli violation of a ceasefire several weeks earlier .

Hamas intensified Cause_change_of_strength its rocket and mortar attacks Attack against civilian targets in southern Israel , reaching the major cities of Beersheba and Ashdod for the first time during the conflict .

The conflict Hostile_encounter ended Process_end on 18 January , when Israel first declared Expressing_publicly a unilateral ceasefire , followed by Hamas ' announcing Expressing_publicly a one-week ceasefire twelve hours later .

During the operation , Hamas , the al-Qassam Brigades and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad ( PIJ ) further intensified Cause_change_of_strength their rocket attacks Attack on Israeli cities and towns , in an operation code named Operation Stones of Baked Clay ( , `` ḥijārat sijīl '' ) by the al-Qassam Brigades , firing Use_firearm over 1,456 rockets into Israel , and an additional 142 which fell Motion_directional inside Gaza itself .

Canada , Germany , the United Kingdom , the United States , and other Western countries expressed Sending support for what they considered Israel 's right to defend Defending itself , or condemned Judgment_communication the Hamas rocket attacks Attack on Israel .

After days of negotiations Communication between Hamas and Israel , a ceasefire mediated by Egypt was announced Expressing_publicly on 21 November .

Israel said Communication that it had achieved Achieve its aim of crippling Hamas 's rocket-launching ability , while Hamas stated Statement that Israel 's option of invading Attack Gaza had ended Process_end .