Gaza In 2008 the Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Hot Winter (Hebrew: מבצע חורף חם, romanized: Mivtza Horef Ham), also called Operation Warm Winter, in the Gaza Strip, starting on February 29, 2008 in response to Qassam rockets fired from the Strip by Hamas onto Israeli civilians.

[2][3] After the Gaza–Egypt border breach by Hamas during an Israeli blockade of Gaza, Shin Bet officials concluded the Palestinian militant groups had smuggled large numbers of longer-ranged missiles, such as Katyushas and Grads into the strip.

[citation needed] On February 27, 2008, Hamas, the Popular Resistance Committees and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad fired six Grad missiles at Ashkelon, lightly injuring several people and prompting an Israeli vow to respond.

[citation needed] According to the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), the operation was aimed at disrupting militant infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.

After a day in which 50 rockets were fired, IDF decided to change its strategy on March 2 and sent a whole regiment[dubious – discuss] (about 2,000 men) into northern Gaza Strip to occupy Jabalia and Shuja'iyya but met stiff resistance from the Palestinians.

On March 3, 2008, Israel, according to the IDF, was free to search for factories, militant infrastructure, Qassam warehouses and rocket launchers in the two towns.

[9] Israeli human rights movement B'Tselem expressed its grave concern at "the large number of children and other uninvolved (Palestinian) civilians among those killed and wounded in the Gaza Strip".

Israeli military spokeswoman Maj. Avital Leibovich called Saturday's action a "pinpoint operation" provoked by the rocket attack on Ashkelon earlier in the week.

In Washington, National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe expressed regret for loss of civilian life on both sides but put most of the blame on the Palestinians.

The rocket attacks caused widespread fear and hardship in Israeli border communities and damaged millions of dollars' worth of property, including schools.

[5] Vilnai's comments were reported by several news agencies: The Guardian ran it under the headline "Israeli minister warns of Palestinian 'Holocaust'", The Times stated "Israel threatens to unleash 'Holocaust' in Gaza".