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War on the Middle East
of civilians. The next day, the armed wing of Hamas, the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, agrees to halt anti-Israeli attacks.
2002
January 5
Israel intercepts arms shipment
Israel intercepts a Palestinian freighter loaded with 50 tons of arms, including anti-tank missiles. Israel claims Iran supplied the arms to the Palestinian Authority. Arafat denies any connection to the weapons.
January 17
Al Aqsa gunman kills six civilians
In the first major attack on civilians in Israel since Arafat declared a cease-fire on Dec. 16, a Palestinian gunman from the Al Aqsa Brigades shoots dead six Israelis and injures at least 24 others at a bat mitzvah party in Hadera before being killed himself.
January 27
First woman suicide bomber
Wafa Idris becomes the first Palestinian woman suicide bomber when she blows herself up in busy shopping street in West Jerusalem. One Israeli is killed and dozens wounded. The attack is claimed by the Al-Aqsa Brigades.
February 10
Palestinian rocket attack
In an unprecedented attack, Palestinian fire homemade Qassam-2 rockets from the Gaza Strip into the Negev desert.
February 11-13
Air strikes; major incursion into Gaza
Calling the Feb. 10 rocket attack "a new level of threat," Israel bombs security compounds in Gaza City and launches an extensive military incursion into the Gaza Strip in a search for the manufacturing and launch sites of the rockets.
February 15
Palestinians blow up tank; kill elite Israeli commander
Palestinian mines blow up an Israeli tank, killing three of the crew. This marks the first time that one of the highly sophisticated Israeli tanks is destroyed or badly damaged. The same day, the head of a elite Israeli commando unit is killed.
February 15
F-16s strike Jabalya
In reprisal for the death of the commando and destruction of the tank, Israeli jets attack a Palestinian police compound at Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza.
February 19
Attack on army checkpoint
In one of the deadliest attacks on Israeli troops in the 17-month intifada, Palestinian gunmen storm an army checkpoint near Ramallah in a commando-style raid and kill six Israeli soldiers.
February 20
16 Killed
Israel launches an assault on Palestinian Authority buildings, including Arafat's Ramallah headquarters and the Palestinian Authority compound in Gaza City. Sixteen Palestinians are killed.
February 28-March 1
Invasion of Balata and Jenin refugee camps
Israeli troops invade two Palestinian refugee camps near the West Bank towns of Nablus and Jenin. Twelve Palestinians and one Israeli soldier are killed. Fighting continues through the next day, with more than 20 Palestinian casualties in total.
March 2-3
Suicide bomb; sniper attack
A suicide bomber blows himself up in an religious neighborhood of Jerusalem. Nine are killed and dozens injured. The Al Aqsa Brigades claim responsibility.
The next day, a lone Palestinian sniper attacks an Israeli checkpoint in the West Bank, killing 10 Israelis. Al Aqsa Brigades again claims responsibility.
March 7-8
Further incursions into Palestinian territory
Israel continues advancing into Palestinian-controlled territory, killing several Palestinians as they storm refugee camps near Tulkarem in the northern West Bank in search of suspected [next page]