Since June 12, southern Israel has been the target of ever-increasing rocket and other terrorist attacks from the Gaza Strip, aimed deliberately at civilian targets.
Wednesday, July 9
Two rockets were intercepted over Tel Aviv on Wednesday morning. Since the start of Operation Protective Edge, 155 rockets have been fired at Israel.
Tuesday, July 8
On Tuesday evening, rocket sirens sounded across central Israel including the country’s biggest cities, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
146 rockets were launched from Gaza. Of these, 117 struck Israel and 29 were intercepted by the Iron Dome system.
In this 24-hour period, residents of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, the southern cities of Be'er Sheva, Ashdod and Ashkelon, communities in southern Israel, including the city of Sderot, Ofakim, Sha'ar HaNegev, Sdot Negev, the Eshkol regional council, Merhavim, Kiryat Malachi, Hof Ashkelon and Be'er Tuvia and cities and towns in central Israel, including Rehovot, Herzliya, Gadera, Ramat Hasharon, Yavne, Caesarea, Binyamina, Rishon Lezion, Hadera, Givatiyim, Bat Yam and Holon were forced to seek shelter after the sirens sounded. The IDF has confirmed that three rockets hit the Jerusalem hills and one hit the city of Hadera, which is 100 km (62 miles) away from the Gaza Strip.
There has been property damage, including from fires caused by the rockets and shrapnel.
Due to Israel's extensive civil defense preparations, only minor injuries were reported. For example, nine civilians were lightly injured in Ashdod and the surrounding areas.
Monday, July 7
At least 80 rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza on Monday, July 7.
Over 25 rockets fired from the Gaza Strip rained down on southern Israel Sunday (July 6), striking in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council, the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council, and Sderot. This followed the rocket attacks on Saturday, two of which were fired at Beersheba. At least 29 other rockets and mortars fired from the Gaza Strip at Israel over the weekend.
Since the beginning of the year, Gaza terrorists have fired more than 450 rockets towards Israeli citizens. The attacks have 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. Over 3.5 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.
These rockets have injured Israelis, damaged cars, homes and property. On Thursday morning (3 July) a rocket hit a nursery school and rockets burned two factories in Sderot to the ground (28 June).
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.