-- Unclassified– The Strategic Division/Military-Strategic Information Section The Strategic Division/Military-Strategic Information Section Rocket Fire from Gaza Twelve Years of Terrorism in Southern Israel November 2012

-- Unclassified– Daily Rocket and Mortar Fire For twelve years, Hamas and other terrorist organizations have been launching rockets towards Israel to deliberately harm innocent civilians

-- Unclassified– Since 2001, more than 12,800 rockets and mortars, an average of 3 attacks every single day, have landed in Israel. Daily Rocket and Mortar Fire A house destroyed by a rocket in Sderot Remains of a Qassam rocket

-- Unclassified– Rockets fired from Gaza to Israel Daily Rocket and Mortar Fire

-- Unclassified– Gaza Gaza Strip Han Yunis Rafah Sderot Beer Sheva Ashkelon Ashdod Rehovot Rishon LeZiyon Jerusalem Area Jerusalem Tel Aviv-Jaffa Gazan Qassam Rocket 122mm Grad (Prob. Iranian) Rocket based on Iranian Tech. Iranian-based Rocket 122mm Rocket Fajr-5 (and Gaza-made M-75 missile?) Daily Rocket and Mortar Fire More than half of Israel’s population is in range of Hamas’s rockets

-- Unclassified– Daily Rocket and Mortar Fire Israelis living in the Gaza periphery have 15 seconds to reach shelter.

-- Unclassified– “These kids come to us with their parents to seek therapy for the trauma built up from years of rocket attacks… These problems did not just begin post-Operation Cast Lead. We are talking about… years of constant rocket attacks whose psychological effects are now emerging... We do everything possible to limit the long- lasting affects of these rocket attacks but it is a long and drawn-out process.” - Hila Barzilai, head of the Sderot Resilience Center (Merkaz Hosen). The children of Sderot and the other towns and cities of southern Israel commonly suffer from trauma due to years of constant rocket and mortar fire. These families have been forced to live under the pressure and fear caused by Hamas and the other terrorist organizations’ ceaseless attacks against their residences. Children in Sderot taking cover during a “Color Red” siren Daily Rocket and Mortar Fire

-- Unclassified– With the need to always be within fifteen seconds of a bomb shelter, buildings in Israel’s south have been reinforced with concrete, converting civilian towns into armored fortresses Daily Rocket and Mortar Fire A bus stop in SderotA heavily-fortified residential apartment complex

-- Unclassified– Other Methods of Terrorism Launching rockets from Gaza is not the only way that Hamas targets Israeli civilians

-- Unclassified– On 7 April 2011, Hamas operatives fired a “Kornet” antitank missile at a school bus in southern Israel, injuring the driver and killing a 16 year- old Israeli boy Other methods of terrorism

-- Unclassified– On 9 July 2012, light arms fire was directed from Gaza towards the area of KibbutzYad Mordechai and the Erez crossing. A restaurant and a civilian vehicle were struck. A family, including small children and a baby, were inside the car just moments before the shooting, but had just exited from the vehicle as the shots hit. Fortunately, no injuries were reported from the incident. Other methods of terrorism

-- Unclassified– Terrorists cross from Gaza into the Sinai Peninsula to commit attacks against Israel 22 April 2010: Three 122mm Grad rockets were fired at the city of Eilat in southern Israel. 2 August 2010: terrorists fired six 122mm Grad rockets at southern Israel. 18 August 2011: A terrorist squad infiltrated southern Israel via the Israeli-Egyptian IBL and carried out a combined terrorist attack, killing eight people and injuring over 30 others. 4 April 2012: Three Grad rockets were fired at the city of Eilat from Sinai. 18 June 2012: Terrorists emanating from Sinai opened fired and killed one Israeli civilian worker. 5 August 2012: 16 Egyptian soldiers were killed and two Egyptian armored vehicles were stolen by members of a global jihad group. The vehicles breached the border into Israeli territory with the intent of committing terrorist attacks. One car exploded while the other was destroyed by the IAF. Five terrorists were killed. Other methods of terrorism 5/8/12 18/8/11

-- Unclassified– Recent Trends Over the past year, rockets have been fired daily with a pattern of major escalations every few months

-- Unclassified– Monthly Distribution – 2012 Major escalations in March, June, and October Recent Trends

-- Unclassified– 9-12 March 2012: 97 rockets and mortars were launched from Gaza and struck Israeli territory. Six Israeli civilians were injured, two severely June 2012: 156 rockets and mortars were launched from Gaza and struck Israeli territory August 2012: 7 rockets were launched from Gaza and struck Israel as Israeli children began the new school year October 2012: 42 rockets and mortars were launched from Gaza and struck Israeli territory October 2012: 88 rockets and mortars were launched from Gaza and struck Israeli territory. Four Israeli civilians were injured, two severely. Recent Trends Israeli president Shimon Peres visits a school moments before the “Color Red” siren sounded

-- Unclassified– Hamas has also recently attacked IDF soldiers during routine patrols of the Gaza area. This includes: 10 November- Anti-tank missiles were fired at an IDF force in the vicinity of the Karni crossing. 4 IDF soldiers were injured (one severely). 8 November- A tunnel consisting of explosives set off approximately six km south of the Kissufim crossing while an IDF Recent Trends force was present. One IDF soldier was lightly injured. An IDF vehicle sustained damage. 23 October- An IED exploded near an IDF force near the Netiv Ha'asara community. One IDF officer was severely injured. 23/10/12

-- Unclassified– Hamas’s Arsenal

-- Unclassified– Hamas’s earliest rockets could reach Israeli towns immediately outside the Gaza Strip. Today it has missiles that can and have reached Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Hamas’s Arsenal Over the past twelve years, Hamas has advanced its military capabilities through the smuggling of Iranian weaponry into Gaza and through local rocket manufacturing in the Gaza Strip

-- Unclassified– Hamas’s Arsenal Hamas and other terrorist organizations have dug an intricate tunnel network over the last few years for the purpose of smuggling weapons and other contraband in Gaza. The tunnels are primarily dug under the “Philadelphi” Route into Egypt. Through these tunnels the terrorist organizations are able to arm themselves with increasing numbers of sophisticated weaponry. Using these tunnels terrorist organizations have armed themselves with a surplus of mines and explosive devices, AT launchers, AA missiles, mortars, rockets and light arms. Fajr-5: 75 Km Fajr-5 rockets (75 km range) have been smuggled into the Gaza Strip.

-- Unclassified– Hamas acquires weapons from Iran using numerous channels, including via air, land and sea. Through them, it amasses large quantities of advanced weapons, including ATGMs, UAVs, SSMs and more. “Victoria” 15 March 2011 Israel intercepted a ship with Iranian weapons intended for Gaza. The weapons contained, including surface-to- ship missiles, could have affected the balance of power in the region Hamas’s Arsenal

-- Unclassified– Hamas’s Use of Human Shields

-- Unclassified– Combatants located among children and other civilians During IDF’s operation in Gaza (Dec Jan 2009) Hamas militants in civilian clothes participated in armed hostilities from within crowds, using civilian populations as cover. Use of Human Shields Combatants force a child to serve as cover from IDF forces

-- Unclassified– Weapons discovered in house During the IDF’s operation in Gaza, IDF forces searched 150 residences in one neighborhood. Out of those 150 homes, more than 30 were found to be booby-trapped with explosives. A booby-trapped residence Weapon Storage among Civilian Populations Use of Human Shields

-- Unclassified– A booby-trapped school discovered by IDF Forces on 11 January 2009 Use of Human Shields

-- Unclassified– Use of Human Shields – Rocket firing from civilian area

-- Unclassified– Concluding Points

-- Unclassified– The reality for the civilians of southern Israel is intolerable Hamas and other terrorist organizations doubly violate international law by firing from civilian areas in Gaza towards civilian areas in Israel Hamas has quantitatively and qualitatively grown its military arsenal, largely due to Iranian aid. Smuggling and further Hamas military buildup must be prevented with the involvement of the international community. Israel must change the reality of its citizens in the south and reestablish quiet (zero rockets). Concluding Points