NO. OF DAYS PRIOR TO ISRAELI ELECTIONS & ATTACK ON GAZA:
The 39-days Operation Summer Rains began on June 28, 2006, which was about three months before the scheduled date of the Israeli general elections on November 21, 2006.
Operation Autumn Clouds (10 days) began on November 1, 2006, just three weeks before the elections.
Operation Summer Rains + Operation Autumn Clouds (2006) included among others, air strikes on Gaza Power Plants, Waste Water Treatment Plant, three Bridges and Electricity Networks. Amnesty International called it a war crime
The 22-days Operation Cast Lead began on December 27, 2008, which was just over a month before the Israeli general elections on February 10, 2009. So it was approximately 45 days prior to the elections.
Operation Cast Lead (2008*) damaged 10 Water or Sewage Lines, 34 Health Facilities & Israel was widely condemned for its unlawful use of White Phosphorus (chemical weapons)
The 8-days Operation Pillar of Defense – also known as Operation Pillar of Cloud – began on November 14, 2012, which was about two months before the scheduled date of the Israeli general elections on January 22, 2013. So it was approximately 69 days prior to the elections.
Operation Pillar of Defense/Cloud (2012*) included bombings among others, of a Water Tower, 12 Water Wells and Agricultural Land
| 2006* | 2008* | 2012* | 2014* | 2021* | Ratio | |
| Israeli Soldiers | 5 | 10 | 2 | 67 | 1 | |
| Hamas Resistance | 124 | 236 | 62 | 2251 | 80 | 32.3x |
| Israeli Civilian (Wounded) | 44 | 182 | 219 | 87 | 114 | |
| Palestinian Civilian (Wounded) | 650 | 5303 | 971 | 11,231 | 2000 | 31.1x |
| Israeli Civilians (Killed) | 6 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 12 | |
| Palestinian Civilians (Killed) | 416 | 926 | 105 | 1462 | 256 | 102x |
The political strategy in Israel has since evolved. In both 2014 and 2021, Gaza was bombed both, two months+ following the elections, to perhaps consolidate power post-elections:
NO. OF DAYS POST ISRAELI ELECTIONS & ATTACK ON GAZA:
The 50-days Operation Protective Edge began on July 8, 2014, which was just over two months after the Israeli general elections on March 17, 2014. However, in terms of timeline leading up to the attack on Gaza:
- April 2014: The formation of a Palestinian unity government in April 2014, which was backed by both Hamas and the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority. The move was seen by Israel as a threat, as Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by Israel and several other countries.
- June 2014: The kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank in June 2014, which Israel blamed on Hamas. The incident led to a large-scale crackdown by Israeli security forces in the West Bank and the arrest of hundreds of Palestinians.
- July 2014: The retaliatory killing of a Palestinian teenager in Jerusalem by Jewish extremists in July 2014, which sparked widespread protests and violence in the West Bank and Gaza.
- July 2014: A significant increase in rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel in July 2014, with hundreds of rockets fired by Hamas and other militant groups. Israel responded with airstrikes on Gaza, and the situation escalated quickly into a full-scale military operation.
Operation Protective Edge (2014*): The Sydney Morning Herald reported that “almost every piece of critical infrastructure, from electricity to water to sewage, has been seriously compromised by either direct hits from Israeli air strikes and shelling or collateral damage. Amnesty International said the crippling of the power station amounted to “collective punishment of Palestinians“. Human Rights Watch has stated that “damaging or destroying a power plant, even if it also served a military purpose, would be an unlawful disproportionate attack under the laws of war“.
The 11-days Operation Guardians of the Wall began on May 10, 2021, which was just over two months after the Israeli general elections on March 23, 2021. However, in terms of timeline leading up to the attack on Gaza:
- May 2021: A wave of unrest and violence between Jewish and Arab citizens in Israel, with Israeli mobs and IDF soldiers attacking causing damage to property and businesses.
- April 2021: The Israeli decision to restrict access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which led to clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli security forces.
- May 2021: The Israeli eviction of Palestinian families from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem, which sparked protests and violence in Jerusalem and the West Bank.
- May 2021: A series of rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel in early May 2021, which were carried out by Hamas and other militant groups. Israel responded with airstrikes on Gaza, killing several militants.
Operation Guardians of the Wall (2021*): The partial list of infrastructure damage include at least 18 medical facilities (including 6 hospitals and 11 clinics) destroyed by the disproportional Israeli bombardment. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), 1,042 housing and commercial units, spread over 258 buildings, were destroyed by Israel. 769 further units suffered severe damage while at least 53 schools were damaged.The media offices of the Associated Press and Al Jazeera as well as 60 condominiums, was destroyed on 15 May, prompting a global outcry.
