The group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, crossing into the country from Gaza killing hundreds of civilians and taking dozens of hostages.
Military confrontations between Hamas and Israel are not unusual. Hamas has fought several wars with Israel since 2007 and has carried out thousands of deadly terrorist attacks.
In response to those attacks, Israel has also attacked Hamas repeatedly with air strikes and, with Egypt, blockaded Gaza by land, air and sea since 2007. This blockade limits what can be imported into Gaza, bans all exports and places strict limits on the movement of people entering and leaving the territory, significantly affecting living standards.
