The Palestinian militant group Hamas has launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, with its fighters entering communities near the Gaza Strip, killing residents and taking hostages.
Here’s what you need to know about the people and places involved.
What is Hamas?
Hamas is a Palestinian Islamist militant group which rules the Gaza Strip. Hamas is sworn to Israel’s destruction and has fought several wars with Israel since it took power in Gaza in 2007.
In between those wars, it has fired or allowed other groups to fire thousands of rockets at Israel, and carried out other deadly attacks. Israel has also repeatedly attacked Hamas with air strikes, and, together with Egypt, has blockaded the Gaza Strip since 2007 in what it says is for its security.
Hamas explained
Hamas as a whole, or in some cases its military wing, is designated a terrorist group by Israel, the United States, the European Union and the UK, as well as other powers. Hamas is backed by Iran which funds it and provides weapons and training.
What is the Gaza Strip?
The Gaza Strip is a 41km- (25-mile) long and 10km-wide territory between Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea. It is home to about 2.3 million people and has one of the highest population densities in the world.
What is life like in the Gaza Strip?
Israel controls the air space over Gaza and its shoreline and restricts who and what goods are allowed in and out through its border crossings. Similarly, Egypt controls who passes in and out through its border with Gaza.
About 80% of the population of Gaza depends on international aid, according to the UN, and about one million people rely on daily food aid.
Why are Israel and Hamas fighting?
There is constant tension between Israel and Hamas, but the attack by Hamas on Saturday came without warning. Hamas fired thousands of rockets at Israel while dozens of Hamas fighters breached the border and invaded Israeli communities, killing dozens of civilians and taking others captive.
Israel launched immediate air strikes, saying it was targeting militant sites in Gaza. Local officials said more than 200 people were killed.
What is Palestine and what have these events got to do with it?
The West Bank and Gaza, which are known as the Palestinian territories, as well as East Jerusalem and Israel all formed part of land known as Palestine since Roman times.
These were also the lands of Jewish kingdoms in the Bible, and are seen by Jews see as their ancient homeland.