Key Facts
- Gazan deaths
- 2,125–2,310
- Gazan wounded
- 10,626–10,895 (incl. 3,374 children)
- Israeli soldiers killed
- 67
- Rockets fired into Israel
- 4,564 rockets and mortars
- IDF targets struck in Gaza
- 5,263
- Homes destroyed or damaged
- ~96,000 (7,000+ razed, 89,000 damaged)
Strategic Narrative Overview
Israel began with an aerial campaign on 8 July 2014, then expanded to a ground invasion on 17 July aimed at destroying Gaza's tunnel network. Hamas and allied groups fired over 4,500 rockets and mortars into Israel; Israel's Iron Dome intercepted more than 735. The IDF struck 5,263 targets and destroyed at least 34 tunnels. The ground phase concluded on 5 August, with aerial and other operations continuing until a ceasefire was reached.
01 / The Origins
The war grew from escalating tensions following the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank by Palestinian militants. Israel launched Operation Brother's Keeper, killing ten Palestinians and arresting over 600. Hamas resumed rocket fire after an Israeli airstrike killed one of its militants on 29 June 2014, and Israel responded with a formal military operation beginning 8 July, framing it as a campaign to halt rocket attacks from the Hamas-governed Gaza Strip.
03 / The Outcome
An open-ended ceasefire was announced on 26 August 2014, ending seven weeks of fighting. Between 2,125 and 2,310 Gazans were killed, the majority civilians, and over 10,000 were wounded. Six Israeli civilians and 67 Israeli soldiers died. Roughly two-thirds of Hamas's rocket arsenal was depleted or destroyed, and rebuilding Gaza was estimated to cost $4–6 billion over 20 years. No significant territorial changes resulted.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Benjamin Netanyahu, Benny Gantz.
Side B
3 belligerents
Mohammed Deif.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.