What was the first intifada, and how did it begin in the Gaza Strip?

The first intifada (Arabic for "shaking off") was a Palestinian uprising against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip that lasted from 1987 to 1993.12

The uprising was fueled by years of mounting frustration regarding Israeli land expropriation, settlement construction, and repressive military policies. The immediate catalyst occurred in December 1987, when an Israeli vehicle struck two vans carrying Palestinian workers, killing four of them. This event was widely perceived by Palestinians as an act of revenge for the earlier stabbing death of an Israeli in Gaza.2

Following this incident, violent street clashes and rioting erupted between Palestinians and Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip, marking the birth of the movement. The intifada utilized sophisticated tactics, including commercial boycotts, union-organized strikes, and demonstrations. Despite severe Israeli military responses—such as curfews, house demolitions, and the closure of schools—the uprising persisted until the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993.132