GAZA WARHow Does Israel's Last Invasion of Gaza Compare to Now?
Analyzing the 2014 Gaza War, the last time Israel invaded the strip, could give a window into how the coming days and weeks will play out.
As the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip spirals, Israel is preparing a full-scale ground invasion of the enclave of 2.1 million Palestinians.
Analyzing the 2014 Gaza War, the last time Israel invaded the strip, could give a window into how the coming days and weeks will play out. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed this time to “crush” Hamas’ leadership in Gaza. But experts say winning this battle will be far more complex than in 2014.
What Happened in the 2014 Gaza War?
Hamas abducted and murdered three Israeli teenagers in 2014. Two Israelis then kidnapped a Palestinian teenager and slaughtered him in retaliation. Mass demonstrations broke out on both sides.
In the upheaval, Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups began lobbing thousands of rockets into southern Israel. More than 730 were intercepted by the Iron Dome, Israel’s state-of-the-art air defense system.
Israel bombarded Gaza with missiles in response. Entire city blocks were razed. More than 1,460 Palestinian civilians are believed to have died compared to a handful of Israelis, according to UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees.
The Israel Defense Forces, or IDF, launched a ground invasion of the strip on Aug. 7, 2014, with the goal of destroying Hamas’ widespread network of underground tunnels that were being used to stow rockets.
In the end, the IDF demolished nearly three dozen Hamas tunnels, hampering the group’s ability to carry out large-scale terrorist attacks — at least until Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas unleashed the bloodiest single-day massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, killing upwards of 1,400 Israelis.
The violence of the 2014 war spanned 50 days, until Israel and Gaza agreed to a cease-fire on August 26 of that year. Today, in fewer than two weeks of battle, more Palestinian and Israeli civilians have perished than in all the fighting in 2014.
The IDF is now planning a ground invasion dwarfing that of 2014. Netanyahu and his unity government are looking to capture Gaza City and end Hamas’ brutal reign of the strip. More than 300,000 Israeli reservists have been called up.
How the Coming Invasion Compares to 2014
“This ground invasion is intended to be far larger in scale,” said Tahani Mustafa, the Palestine analyst at the International Crisis Group. The 2014 Gaza War, she said, was largely confined to open areas, including farmland.
“Ultimately, 2014 didn’t really see Israel going right into the heart of Gaza City,” Mustafa said.
