Following are the key events since Israel began its Cast Lead Operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip on December 27, 2008, which has so far killed more than 1,206 Palestinians.

December 27, 2008

Israel started its massive air strikes against Hamas in the Gaza Strip in a bid to halt the militants' rocket attacks.

December 31, 2008

The Cairo-based Arab League (AL) held an emergency meeting of foreign ministers to work out a unified Arab stance on Israel's military offensive in Gaza.

January 1, 2009

Hamas confirmed that its senior official Nizar Rayan had been killed in an Israeli air raid.

January  3, 2009

Israel's ground forces entered the Gaza Strip, starting the second phase of the military operation.

January 4, 2009

More than 500 Palestinians were killed and over 3,000 wounded in the Israeli military operation.

January 5, 2009

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni rejected EU's call for an immediate ceasefire.

January 6, 2009

Israeli forces attacked three UN-sponsored schools and killed 48 people.

January 8, 2009

UN Security Council passed Resolution 1860, calling for an immediate ceasefire between the two warring sides, and urging Israel to fully withdraw its troops from Gaza. But neither Israel nor Hamas reacted positively toward the call.

January 14, 2009

The death toll in Gaza had surpassed 1,000, with over 4,700 others wounded in the operation.

January 16, 2009

Hamas proposed a one-year truce with Israel in exchange for its withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the blockage of Gaza.

January 17, 2009

After a cabinet meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared a unilateral ceasefire in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, which would start from 2:00 AM local time (0000 GMT) on Sunday.

(Xinhua News Agency January 18, 2009)