The Palestinians relationship with Israel worsened when Hamas won seats in the 2006 Palestinian elections because Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by Israel and many other countries. Hamas has called for the destruction of Israel and has carried out numerous attacks on Israeli civilians and military targets. The election of Hamas signaled to Israel that the Palestinian people were becoming more radicalized and less willing to negotiate for peace. Israel responded by imposing economic sanctions on the Palestinian territories and increasing military operations against Hamas. This led to an increase in violence and tension between Israel and Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and West Bank.
