Kort forinden, den 14. november 2012 havde Israel indledt nye angreb på Gazastriben med det udtrykkelige formål at forhindre Hamas’ genoptagne raketangreb. <ref name=UNHCR>{{cite web|author=Stephanie Nebehay|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/20/palestinians-israel-humanitarian-idUSL5E8MK6MG20121120|title=UN rights boss, Red Cross urge Israel, Hamas to spare civilians|publisher=Reuters|date=20. november 2012|access-date=20. november 2012|archive-date=20. januar 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120113754/http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/20/palestinians-israel-humanitarian-idUSL5E8MK6MG20121120}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Al-Mughrabi|first=Nidal|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-palestinians-israel-hamasbre8ad0wp-20121114,0,7635503.story|title=Jerusalem and Tel Aviv under rocket fire, Netanyahu warns Gaza|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=16. november 2012|archive-date= 9. december 2012|access-date= 2. august 2014|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121209123920/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-palestinians-israel-hamasbre8ad0wp-20121114,0,7635503.story|url-status=dead}}</ref> "And to disrupt the capabilities of militant organizations."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=291779|title=Israeli air strike kills top Hamas commander Jabari|work=The Jerusalem Post|access-date=14. november 2012|archive-date=14. november 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114141727/http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=291779}}</ref> Operationen blev indledt med drabet på [[Ahmed Jabari]], lederen af Hamas’ militære gren. Efter otte dages luftangreb fra begge parter afsluttedes konflikten, der dræbte mindst 6 israelere og 130 palæstinensere.<ref name=Elle>{{Cite news
| last = Ellegaard
| first = Lasse
| title =Hamas spiller højt spil med gidseltagning
| work = Information
| access-date = 2. august 2014
| date = 2. august 2014}}</ref>
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