Since the start of Operation Protective Edge, at least 1,350 rockets have been launched at Israel. 1,027 of those rockets hit Israel, and approximately 265 rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system. Hamas claimed responsibility for most of the rockets fired, including those fired at the coastal plain south of Haifa, Dimona, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
The IDF has targeted over 1,872 terror targets, from the air and the sea.Among the sites targeted: long-range rocket launchers, Hamas leadership facilities, terror and smuggling tunnels, compounds and training sites, communications facilities, and additional sites used for terror activities targeting Israel, including command and control centers.
On Wednesday evening (July 16, 2014), UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry submitted a request for a humanitarian pause to commence on July 17 at 10:00 a.m., for the duration of five hours. Israel acceded to this request: The IDF will hold fire for a humanitarian window between 10:00 and 15:00. Should the humanitarian window be exploited by Hamas or other terror organizations for the purpose of launching attacks against Israeli civilian or military targets the IDF will respond firmly and decisively.
- PM Netanyahu: "If Hamas rejects the Egyptian proposal, and the rocket fire from Gaza does not cease, and that appears to be the case now, we are prepared to continue and intensify our operation to protect our people. For this we have kept full support from the responsible members of the international community."
- IDF Spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner: “In according with the government directives, the IDF now holds fire. We remain alert and preserve high preparedness levels, both defensive and offensive. If the Hamas terror organization will fire at Israel, we shall respond.”
Five hours later, following the continuation of rocket fire from Gaza, PM Netanyahu said: "Hamas's rejection of the cease fire gives Israel full legitimacy to expand the operation to protect our people."
At 3pm the IDF Spokesperson announced: “After six hours of unilateral attacks by Hamas, the IDF has resumed operational activity in the Gaza Strip. Since 9am Tuesday, about 50 rockets were fired at Israel.” The IDF struck at Hamas tunnels, 20 concealed rocket launchers, weapons storage facilities and other operational infrastructure.
US Secretary of State John Kerry: "I cannot condemn strongly enough the actions of Hamas, in so brazenly firing rockets in multiple numbers, in the face of the good will effort to offer a cease fire in which Egypt and Israel joined together and the international community strongly supports the compelling need to have a ceasefire.
At the same time there are great risks in what is happening there and in the potential of an even greater escalation of violence. We don't want to see that, nobody does, nor does Israel. But Israel has a right to defend itself and it is important for Hamas not to be provoking and purposefully trying to play politics in order to gain greater followers for its opposition, and use the innocent lives of civilians who they hide in buildings and use as shields and put in danger. That is against the laws of war. And thats why they are a terrorist organization.
We urge all parties to support this ceasefire. And we ask all the members of the Arab community, as they did yesterday at the Arab League meeting in Cairo, to continue to press to try to get Hamas to do the right thing here, which is cease the violence, engage in a legitimate negotiation and protect the lives of people that they seem all too willing to put to risk."
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird: "As the Israeli cabinet approved a ceasefire that would have ended eight days of hostilities, Hamas rejected it without a second thought. This proves Hamas has no interest in peace.
We have long believed that innocent Palestinian people living in Gaza deserve far better than the reckless actions of this terrorist organization. Canada views Hamas as an international terrorist organization that is bent on the destruction of the State of Israel.
The scourge of terrorism must be wholly rejected by all peace-loving people around the world. We must never allow moral relativism to act as cover for the indiscriminate attacks on Israel we have seen over the past eight days. We believe that Israel has the right to defend itself, by itself, from the continued campaign of terror being waged by Hamas."
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Daily distribution of rocket fire from the Gaza Strip during Operation Protective Edge
Source: ITIC
Since July 8, 100 rockets fired from Gaza have fallen within the Gaza Strip. Hamas fires from civilian areas... and hits its own people.
Background
Since the beginning of the year, until the launching of Operation Protective Edge, Gaza terrorists fired more than 450 rockets towards Israeli citizens. The attacks sent thousands running into bomb shelters, threatening millions of Israeli lives. In order to restore quiet to the region and stop Hamas terrorism, the IDF has commenced Operation Protective Edge.
Since Operation Pillar of Defense in November 2012, Hamas has continued to arm itself with vast amounts of weaponry and is currently in possession of 10,000 rockets. Hamas deliberately and systematically exploits Palestinians and uses them as human shields when firing at Israel. With the increased range of rockets, some 6 million Israelis are currently living under the threat of rocket attacks. No nation would accept this reality.
Although Israel's Iron Dome Missile Defense system stops some of the attacks, most rockets are capable of reaching Israel’s biggest cities. More than half a million Israelis have less than 60 seconds to find shelter after a rocket is launched from Gaza into Israel. Many have only 15 seconds.
Monday, June 30 saw a sharp escalation in rocket fire, with the intensification in attacks beginning in the morning, prior to the discovery of the boys' bodies. That day, Hamas itself fired rockets.
In addition to the rocket attacks, Palestinians have carried out cross-border attacks from Gaza. A terrorist armed with a grenade infiltrated an Israeli village (22 June) and Israeli forces were attacked on 28 and 29 June.
Hamas controls the Gaza Strip since 2007 and bears responsibility for the rocket attacks.