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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 24, 2009

Contact:
Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi: 202-857-6644, jenniferm@theisraelproject.org
Jennifer Packer: 202-857-6657, jenniferp@theisraelproject.org   
www.theisraelproject.org

Hamas Continues to Fire Rockets into Israel, Operate Smuggling Tunnels

Despite Rocket Fire, Israel Continues to Facilitate Delivery of Humanitarian Aid to Gaza

President Shimon Peres’ remarks at the opening of the 18 Knesset (Israeli Parliament)

• Iran-backed Hamas terrorists have fired more than 65 rockets and mortars at Israel since ending Operation Cast Lead Jan. 18. [1]

• Hamas terrorists fired 208 Grad-type Katyusha rockets into Israel over a 23-day period during Operation Cast Lead. [2] Grad-type Katyusha rockets are linked to Iran and smuggled into Gaza through underground tunnels. [3]

• Terrorists in Lebanon fired two Katyusha rockets into Israel on Feb. 21, one of which injured three people in northern Israel. The other rocket fell inside Lebanon. [4]

• Since Israel’s unilateral ceasefire that ended Operation Cast Lead on Jan. 18, Israel facilitated the delivery of 112,991 tons of aid and 2.6 million gallons (10 million liters) of fuel into the Gaza Strip. [5]

Continued Rocket Fire from Gaza and Lebanon

From Nov. 5 - Dec. 26, the seven weeks prior to Israel’s defensive operation, terrorists in Gaza dramatically increased their firing of rockets and mortars at Israel, launching them at a rate of 6.5 rockets and mortars daily. Israel responded on Dec. 27 by initiating Operation Cast Lead, its defensive operation in Gaza. [6]

Since Israel’s unilateral ceasefire on Jan. 18 following the operation, Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza have fired rockets and mortars at Israel at the rate of 2.2 a day.

During the operation – designed to curtail the number of rockets launched from Gaza – Hamas terrorists fired 208 Grad-type Katyusha rockets into Israel over a 23-day period. [7] Grad rockets have a range of up to 24 miles (40 km). On Feb. 14, a Grad rocket was fired from Gaza and landed just south of the Israeli city of Yavneh, approximately 24 miles (40 km) from Gaza. Iran is responsible for providing this type of Katyusha rocket to Hamas; they are smuggled into Gaza through underground tunnels. [8]



Similarly, two Grad-type Katyusha rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israel on Feb. 21, injuring three people. During Operation Cast Lead, Iran-back terrorist groups launched Katyusha rockets from Lebanon at Israel on two separate occasions. On Jan. 8, two rockets hit the northern city of Nahariya, one hitting a nursing home. [9] Two days later, several rockets struck northern Israel; two civilians were treated for shock. [10]

The two incidents of Katyusha rocket attacks from Lebanon prompted Israel to issue an official complaint with the UN Secretary General, holding Lebanon in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for stopping weapons transports into southern Lebanon following the ceasefire declared at the end of Israel’s defensive war again Hezbollah in 2006. [11]

On Nov. 28, an Iranian-manufactured standard 120mm mortar was fired by a terrorist group in Gaza and hit an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) base inside Israel, wounding eight soldiers, one of whom had to have his leg amputated. The use of Iranian-made munitions by Palestinian terrorists is an increasingly common phenomenon. [12]

Iran is the world’s largest state-sponsor of terrorism and a chief sponsor of Palestinian terrorism. The Islamic Republic provides approximately $20 million - $30 million to Hamas annually and also trains Hamas operatives in Iran and Syria. [13] Approximately 950 Hamas terrorists have been trained in building rockets and bombs, tactical warfare, weapons operation and sniper tactics by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, a special division of Iran’s armed forces. [14] Tehran also provides almost $200 million a year to Hezbollah. [15]

The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency said on Feb. 19 Iran had produced 2,227 pounds (1,010 kg) of low-enriched uranium, enough to make a nuclear weapon with further enrichment. [16] Iranian officials stated on Feb. 24 that they plan to test its nuclear plant in Bushehr on Feb. 25. [17]

Smuggling Tunnels and other Terrorist Activity

On Feb. 15, Israel’s Public Security Minister Avi Dichter said Hamas’s efforts to smuggle weapons into Gaza had started again. “We see an effort exerted by Hamas to rebuild its tunnels, and we have spotted several incidents of weapon smuggling since the ceasefire began,” Dichter said. Israel has carried out several bombing sorties against the smuggling tunnels since the end of Operation Cast Lead. [18]

Four Palestinians were killed when a smuggling tunnel collapsed on top of them on Feb. 22. [19]

In addition to smuggling, Palestinian terrorists dig tunnels along the Israel-Gaza border with the intention of carrying out terrorist attacks against Israelis, as in the case of the ambush near the Kerem Shalom crossing in June 2006 that resulted in the abduction of Israeli Cpl. Gilad Shalit.

Palestinian terrorists also plant improvised explosive devices (IED) along border areas to attack Israelis. On Feb. 14, terrorists detonated an IED against IDF soldiers patrolling the Israeli side of the Gaza border. Two other IEDs were discovered by the IDF along the border, before they could be detonated. [20] On Jan. 27, an IED was detonated near an IDF patrol moving along the Israeli side of the border, killing a soldier and seriously wounding an officer. [21]

Humanitarian Aid to Gaza

Since Israel’s unilateral ceasefire that ended Operation Cast Lead on Jan. 18, Israel facilitated the delivery of 112,991 tons of aid and 2.6 million gallons (10 million liters) of fuel into the Gaza Strip. [22]

During IDF Operation Cast Lead, Dec. 27 - Jan. 18, Israel delivered 1,365 truckloads of humanitarian aid to Gaza, including 33,580 tons of supplies such as food, medication, medical supplies, blood units and donations by various governments and blood units. It also delivered 440,000 gallons (1.7 million liters) of fuel. [23]

However, not all of the humanitarian aid that has entered Gaza has been used to help Palestinian civilians. A recent report with photographic evidence shows that Hamas made improvised grenades from medicine bottles that were discovered by IDF forces in Gaza during Operation Cast Lead. The medicine bottles were delivered to Gaza in the humanitarian convoys that Israel transfers into Gaza. [24]

Also, the United Nations accused Hamas of stealing 3,500 blankets and 4,000 food packages intended for distribution to 500 Palestinian families from a UN warehouse in Gaza. [25]
Footnotes:

[1] “News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
January 27 – February 3, 2009,” Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center,
click here
“News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, February 3-9, 2009,” Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center,
click here

[2] Information relayed to The Israel Project by the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, Feb. 19, 2009

[3] Ben-David, Calev, “Iranian-made rockets put 500,000 Israelis in range of Hamas,” Bloomberg.com, Jan.14, 2009,
click here

[4] Einav, Hagai, “Katyusha hits Galilee community; 3 lightly hurt,” YnetNews, Feb. 21, 2009,
click here

[5] Ministry of Defense – Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories Communiqué, Feb. 23, 2009

[6] “News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
January 27 – February 3, 2009,” Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center,
click here
“News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, February 3-9, 2009,” Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center,
click here

[7] Information relayed to The Israel Project by the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, Feb. 19, 2009

[8] Ben-David, Calev, “Iranian-made rockets put 500,000 Israelis in range of Hamas,” Bloomberg.com, Jan.14, 2009,
click here

[9] Ynet Reporters, “Rockets hit northern Israel,” YnetNews, Jan. 8, 2009,

[10] Benhorin, Yitzhak, “Israel issues complaint in UN on northern rocket fire,” YnetNews, Feb. 24, 2009,
click here

[11] Benhorin, Yitzhak, “Israel issues complaint in UN on northern rocket fire,” YnetNews, Feb. 24, 2009,
click here

[12] “Violation of calm: Rockets strike Sderot, Ashkelon, western Negev,” Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dec. 17, 2008,
Rockets_strike_Sderot_Ashkelon_western_Negev_16-Nov-2008.htm;
Harel, Amos, “Gaza mortar shells injure eight soldiers, one loses leg,” Haaretz, Nov. 29, 2008,
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1042007.html 

[13] Hamas, "Council on Foreign Relations Web site,
http://www.cfr.org/publication/8968/, retrieved July 7, 2008

[14] “Senior Hamas operative figure tells London Sunday Times’ Gaza Strip correspondent about Iranian and Syria military aid, detailing the training received by hundreds of Hamas terrorist operatives and describing the transmission to Hamas of Iranian technical know-how for the manufacture of rockets and IED,” The Terrorist and Intelligence Information Center at the Israel Intelligence Heritage and Commemoration Center, March 17, 2008, retrieved July 7, 2008,
click here
Colvin, Marie, “Hamas wages Iran’s proxy war on Israel,” The Times, March 9, 2008,
click here

[15] Wilson, Scott, “Lebanese Wary of a Rising Hezbollah,” The Washington Post, Dec. 20, 2004,
click here

[16] Lappin, Yaakov, “'Iran secretly accelerated A-bomb drive',” The Jerusalem Post, Feb. 22, 2009,
click here

[17] Daragahi, Borzou, “Iran plans test run of nuclear plant,” The LA Times, Feb. 23, 2009,
click here

[18] Sofer, Roni, “Egyptian activity on border criticized,” YnetNews, Feb. 15, 2009,
click here
“IDF bombs seven Gaza tunnels, Hamas post; Qassam hits Negev,” Haaretz, Feb. 18, 2009,
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1065154.html

[19] “Four dead in Gaza tunnel collapse,” Agence France Presse, Feb. 22, 2009,
click here

[20] “News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (February 10-17, 2009),” Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center,
click here

[21] “News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict January 20-27, 2009,” Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center,
click here

[22] Ministry of Defense – Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories Communiqué, Feb. 23, 2009

[23] “Humanitarian aid to Gaza during IDF operation,” Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jan. 17, 2009,
Humanitarian_aid_to_Gaza_following_6_month_calm.htm

[24] “During Operation Cast Lead, improvised grenades probably manufactured by Hamas were found inside drug bottles,” Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, Feb. 16, 2009,
click here

[25] Hider, James, “UN accuses Hamas of stealing aid in Gaza,” The Times, Feb. 4, 2009,
click here

The Israel Project is an international non-profit, nonpartisan organization devoted to educating the press and the public about Israel while promoting security, freedom and peace. The Israel Project provides journalists, leaders and opinion-makers accurate information about Israel. The Israel Project is not related to any government or government agency and does not rate or endorse candidates.  

Authors Website: www.theisraelproject.org

Authors Bio:
The Israel Project (TIP) an international non-profit organization, provides journalists and leaders accurate information about the Middle East. TIP is not related to any government or government agency.