January 1, 2005 (Saturday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Israeli-Palestinian conflict:
- Israeli troops allegedly misfire a tank shell and kill a 9-year-old Palestinian girl; her 11-year-old sister was also injured. (Al Bawaba)
- Palestinian militants allegedly misfire a Qassam rocket and kill a Palestinian girl in Jabalia. (Haaretz)
- IDF soldiers kill 11 Palestinians, 9 of whom are alleged to have been militants and 2 said to have been civilians in Khan Yunis. (Haaretz)
- IDF soldiers kill 3 suspected Palestinian militants who were allegedly planting explosives near the border with Egypt in Rafah. (Haaretz)
- Palestinian militants fire four Qassam rockets at the Negev and 3 at Sderot, Israel causing damage but no casualties. (Haaretz)
Arts and culture
- The world rings in 2005. Some nations observe a moment of silence with candles and white roses for the at least 150,000 dead and 5,000,000 left homeless after the 26 December tsunamis. In many countries flags are flown at half staff. (Reuters)
Business and economy
- The Turkish currency is revalued at a rate of 1,000,000 "old" lira for 1 New Turkish Lira. (BBC)
Law and crime
- A group of Peruvian army reservists from the Movimiento Etnocacerista seize a police station in Andahuaylas, Apurímac Region, demanding the resignation of President Alejandro Toledo. Four police officers die in a shootout, another dozen police are taken as hostages, and a state of emergency is declared in the region. (BBC)
Politics and elections
- Luxembourg takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union (AP)