July 4 (Reuters) - Rejecting any
deal over the abduction of an Israeli soldier, Israel has launched its
first offensive in Gaza since withdrawing last year and massed forces for
a possible expansion of the ground operation.
Following is a chronology of key events
in Gaza since Israel's pullout from the territory:
Sept. 12, 2005 - Israel completes military withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Palestinian Authority takes control of abandoned Jewish settlements and jubilant Palestinians rush in.
Nov. 15 - Washington seals deal to open Gaza to the outside world via the Rafah land border crossing with Egypt, allowing Gazans to travel abroad freely for the first time since 1967.
Jan. 25, 2006 - Palestinians vote in their first parliamentary election in a decade. Islamic militant group Hamas defeats Fatah movement of moderate President Mahmoud Abbas and takes office two months later.
May 17 - Government posts new Hamas-dominated force on Gaza streets in a direct challenge to Abbas, who orders a rival deployment of police. Forces clash within days.
June 9 - Hamas armed wing calls off 16-month-old truce with Israel after seven members of one family were killed on a Gaza beach during day of Israeli shelling. Palestinians blame Israel but the Jewish state denies responsibility.
June 13 - Israel kills 11 Palestinians, nine of them civilians, in a missile strike on a van carrying militants and rockets in Gaza, the deadliest such attack in four years.
June 25 - Hamas militants launch their first deadly raid into Israel from Gaza since the pullout, killing two soldiers and capturing Corporal Gilad Shalit. Three days later Israel pushes into Gaza.
June 29 - Israeli troops detain one third of the Palestinian cabinet and nearly two dozen Hamas lawmakers.
July 1 - Factions who captured Shalit demand Israel free 1,000 "Palestinian, Arab and Muslim prisoners" and end Gaza assault in return for his release. Israel rejects the demands.
July 3 - Militants who abducted Shalit give Israel less than 24 hours to meet their demands to release Palestinian prisoners.
July 4 - Deadline set by militants expires. Israel warns Hamas the "sky will fall on them" if Shalit harmed. Militants pull out of negotiations with Egyptian mediators trying to broker Shalit's release.