operation pillar of defense ( , `` unk unk '' , literally : `` pillar of cloud '' ) was an eight-day israel defense Defending forces ( idf ) operation in the unk gaza strip , which began Process_start on 14 november 2012 with the killing Killing of ahmed jabari , chief of the gaza military wing of hamas by an israeli airstrike .

an alliance of islamic jihad and the popular resistance Control committees claimed Statement responsibility for the attack Attack , stating Statement that it was carried out Action in reprisal for the assassinations of hamas leaders sheikh ahmad yassin and abdelaziz rantisi by the israeli army some weeks earlier .