Israel–Gaza barrier launched the Gaza War, consisting of airstrikes and ground incursions against targets in the Gaza Strip, with the stated aim of stopping the rocket fire from and arms smuggling into the territory. The war ended on 18 January 2009, when both sides ceased military action. Israel completed its withdrawal on 21 January, and thousands of rockets and mortars have been fired from the Gaza Strip since. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas declared support for the Egypt–Gaza barrier, adding: "It is the Egyptians’ sovereign right in their own country. Legitimate supplies should be brought through the legal crossings", although he made
Biodiversity in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip subtropical aridity of the Sahara and the Arabian deserts, and the subtropical humidity of the Levant or eastern Mediterranean. The climate conditions are highly variable within the area and modified locally by altitude, latitude, and the proximity to the Mediterranean sea. The following is a taxonomical classification up to Phylum level of all species found in the area. The following are online well prepared databases about the biodiversity in the Palestine Israel area. Biodiversity in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip Biodiversity in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip is about the fauna and flora in