A ceasefire agreement regarding the fighting in the south came into effect at 21:00 on November 21, 2012. Following eight days of operations, the IDF has inflicted severe damage to Hamas and its military capabilities.

As a result of IDF operations, the command and control apparatus of Hamas was significantly struck, beginning with the targeting of the commander of the military wing of Hamas, Ahmed Jabari, continuing with the targeting of broad terrorist infrastructure, facilities and military bases, as well as the destruction of dozens of smuggling and explosive tunnels.

During the operation, the IDF damaged and destroyed significant elements of Hamas' strategic capabilities. Among those capabilities were long-range (over 40 km) and hundreds of short- and medium-range rocket launchers. These actions have severely impaired Hamas' launching capabilities. The Iron Dome defense system has accomplished high rate of successful interceptions (84%) and Hamas’ accuracy with regards to hitting populated areas within Israel remained below 7%.

Over the course of Operation Pillar of Defense, the IDF targeted over 1,500 terror sites including 19 senior command centers, operational control centers and Hamas' senior-rank headquarters, 30 senior operatives, damaging Hamas' command and control, hundreds of underground rocket launchers, 140 smuggling tunnels, 66 terror tunnels, dozens of Hamas operation rooms and bases, 26 weapon manufacturing and storage facilities and dozens of long-range rocket launchers and launch sites.

Senior operatives targeted:

• Ahmed Jabari, head of Hamas' military wing
• Hab's Hassan Us Msamch, senior operative in Hamas' police
• Ahmed Abu Jalal, Commander of the military wing in Al-Muazi
• Khaled Shaer, senior operative in the anti-tank operations
• Osama Kadi, senior operative in the smuggling operations in the southern Gaza Strip
• Muhammad Kalb, senior operative in the aerial defense operations
• Ramz Harb, Islamic Jihad senior operative in propaganda in Gaza city
  

November 21, 2012

Overnight, the IDF targeted over 100 terror sites, including dozens of terror infrastructure sites throughout the Gaza Strip. The targets included the Ministry of Internal Security, which served as one of the main command and control centers for the Hamas terror organization, as well as an important police compound and a military hideout used as both a meeting place for senior operatives and a communications center.

Over the course of the day, IDF targeted over 50 terror sites, including underground rocket launchers, smuggling tunnels and terror tunnels. Several buildings that belong to senior Hamas operatives and serve as command and control centers were also targeted.
 
Additionally, a number of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror squads that were involved in promoting terror activity, such as launching rockets at Israel, were targeted.

The Erez Crossing was opened for the crossing of diplomats as well as medical supplies, which usually enter the Gaza Strip through Kerem Shalom. The Kerem Shalom Crossing was closed due to rocket fire.

November 20, 2012

Overnight, the IDF targeted approximately 100 terror sites, including underground rocket launchers, terror tunnels and ammunition storage facilities. The IDF targeted several buildings that were used by terror operatives as command and control centers, as well as approximately ten terror tunnels used as hideouts by Hamas terrorists. 

The IDF targeted terrorist squads involved in promoting terrorist activity including the planting of explosive devices and the firing of rockets towards southern Israel. In addition, the IDF targeted 30 underground rocket launchers, as well as a senior terror operative's hiding place which was used to store weapons and ammunition.

Muhammed Shamalah, commander of Hamas forces in the southern Gaza Strip and head of the Hamas militant training programs, was targeted by an Israeli air strike while driving a car clearly labeled "TV", indicating it to be a press vehicle, abusing the protection afforded to journalists.

The IDF also surgically targeted a Hamas intelligence operations center on 7th floor of a media building in Gaza City. Reporters in the building were unharmed.

The bulk of rocket fire is now coming from densely populated areas in the north of the city and from within refugee camps. The IDF has again distributed leaflets warning Gaza's civilians to stay away from Hamas and other terror organization's operatives and positions.

During the course of the evening, the IDF continued targeting dozens of terror infrastructure sites throughout the Gaza Strip, including a bank used to finance Hamas operatives, a site in the southern Gaza Strip used to launch terror attacks, a Hamas command and control center in the northern Gaza Strip, a military hideout, and a meeting place used by senior operatives.
 

November 19, 2012

The IDF targeted a stadium in Gaza City after receiving verified information of a launch from within the stadium, again showing the terrorists' continued use of civilian centers.

- Israel Air Force aborts airstrikes in order to protect civilians

A joint IDF- ISA operation targeted a hideout located inside a civilian media building of senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives, who were a part of the terror organization's rocket launching operations, in the northern Gaza Strip.

• Baha Abu al-Ata, a member of the Higher Military Council, and commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Gaza City Brigade.
• Tissir Mahmoud Mahmedd Jabari, a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative, member of the Higher Military Council and Head of the organization's operation branch.
• Halil Batini, a senior operative of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and a key figure in the long-range rocket launching operations.
• Ramaz Harab, responsible for the propaganda in the Gaza City brigade, an aide to Tissir Jabari.

Overnight, the IDF targeted approximately 80 terror sites throughout the Gaza Strip, including underground rocket launching sites, terror tunnels, and training bases.

The IDF targeted buildings owned by senior terrorist operatives, used as command posts and weapon storage facilities. IAF aircraft, with the support of Israeli Navy soldiers, targeted several Hamas police headquarters throughout the Gaza Strip. The IDF also targeted several Hamas-affiliated terrorist squads as they prepared to fire rockets towards Israel. The sites that were targeted have been positively identified by precise intelligence over the course of months.

November 18, 2012

Overnight, IAF aircraft targeted dozens of underground rocket launchers, causing severe damage to the rocket launching capabilities of Hamas and other terror organizations.

The IDF targeted Hamas' operational communication infrastructures in the northern Gaza Strip, which are used for issuing orders to operatives as well as the spreading of propaganda, as well as Saraya, a Hamas primary training base and command center.

IDF pinpoint strike on Hamas operational communications infrastructure

Israel Air Force conducts a successful pinpoint strike on a rocket launching site
hidden next to a mosque without damaging the mosque.

Despite continued rocket fire over Israel, the Kerem Shalom crossing was reopened on Sunday, November 18, to allow the transfer of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

November 17, 2012

Overnight, the IDF struck 85 targets in the Gaza Strip, mostly rocket launch sites.

Over the course of the day, IAF aircraft continued to target dozens of terror sites throughout the Gaza Strip, including terror tunnels, rocket launching sites and several squads that were involved in launching rockets at Israel.
 
In a joint IDF-ISA activity, a senior Hamas operative in charge of the terror organization's smuggling operations, who was actively involved in its armament build-up, was targeted in the southern Gaza Strip. A senior member of Hamas' Air Defense Unit, Mohammed Kaleb, was targeted in the southern Gaza Strip.

November 16, 2012

Overnight, the IDF targeted approximately 150 medium-range rocket launching sites as well as ammunition storage facilities across the Gaza Strip, causing severe damage to terror infrastructures. As a result of the IDF's targeting of rocket launching capabilities, rocket fire at Israel overnight was significantly decreased. In addition, IAF aircraft targeted the command and control posts of the Hamas terror organization in the southern Gaza Strip.

The IDF targeted two senior Hamas operatives: Muhammad Abu-Jalal, a Hamas company commander in Al-Muazi, and Khaled Shah'yer, a senior operative involved in the rocket launch array.

The IDF has sent text messages to approximately 12,000 residents of the Gaza Strip, warning them to stay away from Hamas operatives.

November 15, 2012

The IDF dispersed leaflets above several locations in the Gaza Strip. These leaflets warn the residents of the Gaza Strip to stay away from Hamas and other terror organization operatives and facilities that pose a risk to their safety.

"Important announcement for the residents of the Gaza Strip:

For your own safety, take responsibility for yourselves and avoid being present in the vicinity of Hamas operatives and facilities and those of other terror organizations that pose a risk to your safety.

Hamas is once again dragging the region to violence and bloodshed. The IDF is determined to defend the residents of the State of Israel. This announcement is valid until quiet is restored to the region. Israel Defense Forces Command."

On the second day of Operation Pillar of Defense the IDF targeted 320 terror sites. The IDF targeted approximately 70 underground medium range (up to 40 km) rocket launching sites in the Gaza Strip. In addition, IAF aircraft targeted several terrorist squads that were involved in firing rockets toward Israel.
 

November 14, 2012

In response to the incessant rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip - more than 700 have struck Israel since the beginning of the year, and more than 120 since Saturday - the IDF has launched a widespread campaign against terror targets in Gaza. The operation, called Pillar of Defense, has two main goals: to protect Israeli civilians and to cripple the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza.

At 16:30, the IDF targeted Ahmed Jabari, the head of Hamas military wing in the Gaza Strip. Jabari was a senior Hamas operative who served in the upper echelon of the Hamas command and was directly responsible for executing terror attacks against Israel.

In subsequent air strikes, the IDF seriously damaged Hamas' long-range missile capabilities (40 km/25 mi range) and underground weapons storage facilities.

The Fajr-5 launch site that was struck a short while ago by IAF aircraft, note the proximity
to a mosque and other civilian structures.

Overnight, the IDF targeted approximately 100 medium and long range rocket launch and infrastructure sites across the Gaza Strip. This has significantly damaged the rocket launch capabilities and munitions warehouses operated by Hamas and other terror organizations.

In addition, Israeli Air Force aircraft targeted several rocket launching squads as they prepared to fire rockets towards southern Israel.