Year by year, how infighting and war with Israel have reduced Gaza to ashes

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2006 January: Hamas wins elections for Palestinian parliament but rival Fatah, led by Abbas, refuses to relinquish power.

February: Palestinian militants fire rockets into Israel leading to Israeli retaliation in a series of exchanges.

June: Palestinian militants tunnel under security fence from Gaza into Israel and capture Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who has been held captive ever since. Israeli forces launch operation Summer Rains to free Shalit, attacking targets in Gaza from the air and land.

July: War erupts in Lebanon after Hezbollah militants capture two Israeli soldiers and Israel responds, killing at least 1,100 people in Lebanon and 157 Israelis in 34 days of fighting.

November: Israel launches Autumn Cloud, sending troops into Gaza to deal with militants firing rockets.

December: Fighting between Fatah and Hamas loyalists intensifies in a bloody battle for power in Palestine.

2007 March: BBC correspondent Alan Johnston is kidnapped as civil war leads to breakdown of law and order.

June: Hamas forces out Abbas loyalists in a week of fighting. His Fatah party loses all power in the Gaza strip, but in the West Bank, Abbas dismisses a Hamas-led unity government.

July: Johnston is freed. Hamas takes credit.

November: Peace talks relaunched between Israel and moderate Palestinians at a conference hosted by George Bush, aiming at deal on a Palestinian state by the end of 2008.

2008 June: Hamas and Israel agree six-month ceasefire in Gaza. But a relatively calm summer gives way to renewed clashes.

November: Israel breaks ceasefire by sending troops into Gaza.

19 December: Attempts to renew ceasefire fail amid bitter recriminations. Hamas declares truce over and Gaza militants step up rocket attacks on Israel. Prime minister Ehud Olmert warns he will use Israeli might to crush Hamas if the rockets do not stop.

27 December: Israel launches operation Cast Lead, using jets and helicopters to strike buildings and compounds linked to Hamas.