List of Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel, 2011
Encyclopedia
This is a detailed list of Palestinian
rocket
and mortar
attacks on Israel
in 2011 from the Gaza Strip
.
On 2 January, it was revealed that two East Jerusalem Arabs, employees of the British Consulate General in Jerusalem, were arrested for suspected involvement in an aborted Hamas
plot to fire a missile at Teddy Stadium during a soccer match. The two were charged the following day with weapons trafficking.
On 15 March, Israel seized the Victoria, a ship containing concealed Iran
ian missiles destined for the Gaza Strip.
On 27 March, Israel first deployed the new Iron Dome
missile defense system to protect Beersheba
. The city, one of Israel's largest, had recently been targeted again by Palestinian missiles after being safe since the 2008-2009 Gaza War. A week later, a second battery was deployed to protect Ashkelon
. On 7 April, the Ashkelon battery successfully intercepted a Palestinian Grad missile fired at the city, marking the first successful interception of a short range rocket in history. On 31 August, Israel deployed a third battery outside Ashdod before the new school year. As of that date, Iron Dome had intercepted several dozen Gazan rockets at an estimated cost of $100,000 per interception, not including the price of the system itself.
On 4 April, Israel indicted alleged Hamas
"rocket godfather" Dirar Abu Sisi in the Beersheba District Court. Abu Sisi had reportedly been captured by Israel in the Ukraine
a month prior. He denied any wrongdoing.
On 7 April, Hamas militants fired a Kornet anti-tank missile at an Israel school bus
. The sole passenger on board, 16-year-old boy Daniel Viflic, was killed.
On 18 August, a series of cross-border attacks
were carried out in southern Israel near the Egyptian border. The initial attacks sparked several days of clashes between Israel and Palestinian militant groups that resulted in substantial casualties to both sides.
January 1
In the evening, a mortar shell fired by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip landed near a kibbutz
in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council
. A woman suffered from shock, but no physical injuries or damage were reported. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
claimed responsibility for mortar attacks that day, saying that it had fired four mortars at two military posts in Israel and adding that it would "cling to the option of resistance and confront the Israeli occupation". That night, Israel responded to the attack and to a separate attack two days earlier with airstrikes on two targets in the Gaza Strip, described by the Israel Defense Forces
as a Hamas
terrorist activity center in the north and a weapons manufacturing facility in the center of the territory. Palestinians said that two people were injured.
January 2
A projectile fired by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip hit the Eshkol Regional Council
. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine
claimed responsibility for attacks that day, saying they had fired several projectiles at Israeli targets late at night in response to "ongoing Israeli aggression against the people of Gaza". However, an Israeli military spokeswoman said she was not aware of any shells launched from Gaza at that time.
January 4
In the afternoon, a Qassam rocket fired by Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip exploded near a kibbutz in the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council. No injuries were reported, but several greenhouse
s sustained damage. No militant group claimed responsibility. Israel responded that day with airstrikes on a Hamas
militant training facility in the central part of the Gaza Strip and a smuggling tunnel in the south. No injuries were reported.
January 5
Two mortar shells fired by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip landed in open areas in the Eshkol Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported. Five additional mortars hit the Eshkol Regional Council that day, according to the IDF website.
After nightfall, a Qassam rocket hit an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported.
January 6
In the morning, a mortar shell fired by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fell in the Sdot Negev Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
claimed responsibility for mortar attacks at that time, saying that it had fired three shells at an Israeli military base near Kissufim
. However, an Israeli military spokeswoman said she was not aware of any attacks in that area. Israel responded that night with airstrikes on two sites in the Gaza Strip, which it identified as a Hamas
terror base in the north and an infiltration tunnel in the south intended for carrying out attacks against Israelis. No injuries were reported.
January 7
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a projectile at Israel. No injuries or damage were reported.
January 8
At about 2:20 pm, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired four 181-millimeter mortar shells at Israel, all of which landed in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council
. One of the shells hit a residential area within an agricultural community in the area. Three Thai
foreign agricultural workers were injured, one seriously, one moderately and one lightly, all by shrapnel. A number of other people suffered from shock. The shell also killed a cat nearby. Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility, saying that it had fired six mortar shells at an Israeli military post near Nahal Oz
.
Towards the evening, an additional Palestinian mortar shell landed in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported.
After nightfall, Palestinians fired a Qassam rocket which landed in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported.
Within an hour, Palestinians fired a second Qassam rocket into the Eshkol Regional Council. Truck driver Yitzhak Zaafrani was lightly wounded in the face and his truck was damaged.
January 9
In the morning, Palestinians fired a Qassam rocket into the Eshkol Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported. Israel responded overnight to the attacks of the previous two days with airstrikes on two terror activity targets in the Gaza Strip. No injuries were reported. According to DEBKA
, the targets were Hamas underground command centers recently built by engineers from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
January 10
In the evening, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired three rockets at Israel. One hit an industrial area in Ashkelon
, while the other two fell in the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported.
Later, Palestinians fired another Qassam rocket which landed in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council
. No injuries were reported.
January 11
In the morning, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a rocket which exploded south of Ashkelon
. No injuries or damage were reported. Israel responded overnight to the attacks of the previous two days with airstrikes on two Hamas
compounds and a Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant training base.
January 16
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired three mortar shells at Israel, all of which exploded in an open area near a kibbutz in the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported. The Color Red siren did not sound.
January 17
In the morning, a Qassam rocket fired by Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip exploded in an orchard near a community in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported.
January 18
In the early afternoon, four mortar shells fired by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip landed in open areas in the Eshkol Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported.
January 21
A mortar fired by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip landed in an unspecified location in the western Negev. No injuries or damage were reported.
January 25
In the evening, a Qassam rocket fired by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fell in an open area in the Sdot Negev Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported.
Later in the evening, a second rocket exploded in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported.
January 31
A Qassam rocket fired by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip exploded in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported.
A Grad rocket landed near a residential neighborhood in the city of Netivot
. The explosion disrupted a wedding in the vicinity of the landing site; four people suffered from shock, and damage was caused to a road and a parked car. Another Grad rocket exploded near the city of Ofakim a few minutes later, but no injuries or damage were reported.
Israel responded on 2 February with an airstrike on a smuggling tunnel under the Gaza-Egypt border. No injuries were reported. Israel also submitted a letter of complaint to the United Nations.
February 4
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a Qassam rocket into the Sdot Negev Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported. The Color Red alarm did not sound.
February 6
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired two mortar shells into the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council
.
After nightfall, two additional mortar shells landed in open areas in the Eshkol Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported in either incident.
February 8
At around 11 am, two mortar shells launched by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip landed in a kibbutz in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council
. One projectile landed in a parking lot, damaging a car. A second landed in a nearby field and damaged a hose. No injuries were reported.
Shortly after 2 pm, two more mortars were fired at the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council from the northern Gaza Strip. No injuries or damage were reported. The Color Red rocket alert system sounded during both attacks and residents of the area were asked to temporarily remain in their homes. Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility, saying the attacks were directed at a military post east of Khan Younis.
Israel responded to the attacks with airstrikes on an infiltration tunnel in the northern Gaza Strip, a rocket manufacturing facility, and a third target near Jabaliya. Palestinian sources said that eight people were lightly injured.
February 9
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
said that its militants fired a projectile at an Israeli military jeep in the morning. The Israel Defense Forces
said they were not familiar with the incident.
February 14
Around noon, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a Qassam rocket into the Eshkol Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported. The attack, which occurred after several days of relative calm, coincided with the swearing of Benny Gantz as new Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces. Ilana Curiel of Israel News speculated that the attack was a signal by Palestinian terror groups that they would not "make life easy" for him.
February 23
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired three mortar shells at a kibbutz
in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council
. One of the projectiles exploded near a soccer field, another near a pool and the third outside the border fence. No injuries were reported. The Color Red alarm did not sound. Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for mortars fired that day, saying it launched two shells at IDF forces which crossed the fence into the Gaza Strip.
Around 9:30 pm, Palestinians fired three Grad missiles at Beersheba
, one of Israel's largest cities. One of the missiles hit the backyard of a home in a residential area, causing extensive damage to surrounding houses and vehicles. Four residents - two adults and two children - were treated for shock. No physical injuries were reported. The Color Red alarm sounded through the city mere seconds before the explosion. This marked the first time Beersheba was hit by Palestinian rockets since the 2009 Gaza War.
Israel responded that day with an airstrike on a Palestinian Islamic Jihad cell in eastern Gaza City, wounding three militants. This was followed by several airstrikes on military targets throughout the Gaza Strip, which caused heavy damage to buildings. The following day, a further airstrike on a Hamas
vehicle in the Al Salaam area of Rafah
killed one person and wounded several others.
February 26
A mortar shell fired by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip landed in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported. Israel responded with airstrikes on Hamas
and Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant facilities in the Gaza Strip. Four Palestinians were lightly injured.
February 27
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a Qassam rocket at the Eshkol Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported. The Color Red alarm did not sound.
A mortar shell was fired from the northern Gaza Strip Israel but landed in Palestinian territory near the Erez border crossing. No injuries or damage were reported. Residents of three towns in the Shaar HaNegev and Ashkelon Coast regional councils were requested to remain in their protected spaces for fear of additional attacks.
March 3
During the night, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a projectile at the Sdot Negev Regional Council
. The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine
claimed responsibility for the attack, saying its militants had fired a C5K rocket at an Israeli military tower near Kissufim
. "We choose the option of resistance as the means to attain our national rights, and promise the Palestinian people that we will continue resistance against Israeli forces," a statement from the group said.
March 4
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired two Qassam rockets at Israel. One exploded in the Sdot Negev Regional Council
and the other apparently landed within Palestinian territory. No injuries or damage were reported.
March 5
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a rocket at an unspecified site in the western Negev. No injuries or damage were reported. Israel responded with airstrikes on Hamas
militant posts in Zeitoun, Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis. No injuries were reported.
March 9
After nightfall, a Qassam rocket fired by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip landed in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported.
March 16
Palestinians fired a rocket into Sderot
. No injuries or damage were reported. Israel responded with an airstrike on a Hamas
compound in the Gaza Strip, killing two Hamas militants and injuring one.
March 18
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired four mortar shells at Israel. Some fell in unspecified locations in the western Negev, and some fell within the Gaza Strip.
Around 4 pm, Palestinian terrorists fired six additional mortar shells into the Eshkol Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported.
March 19
In the early morning, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired 54 mortars on Israeli communities within a period of 15 minutes. A man and his wife were wounded by shrapnel as they fled toward a safe zone. Several homes on a kibbutz
were badly damaged. One mortar shell landed on the rooftop of a kindergarten
, but the building was empty because it was Shabbat
, the Jewish day of rest. Hamas
claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was a response to the death of two of the group's militants in an Israeli airstrike several days earlier. According to The Telegraph
, the unusually extreme attack by Hamas was an attempt by the Islamist group to divert its people's wrath and to avoid being engulfed by the concurrent popular uprisings in the Middle East
.
Israel responded with airstrikes and tank fire, killing one Hamas official and injuring four others.
March 20
On the Jewish holiday of Purim
, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a mortar and two Qassam rockets at Israel.
Later in the day, Palestinians fired a Grad missile at southern Ashkelon
. One elderly woman was lightly injured, and several other people suffered from shock. Sirens were heard in the city. British Minister for the Middle East and North Africa Alistair Burt
condemned Hamas
for its attacks on Israel as well as its assaults on Palestinian protesters in the Gaza Strip, saying: "Hamas should not think that while the attention of the world is elsewhere we will turn a blind eye to their actions. The indiscriminate targeting of Israeli citizens, as they celebrated the Jewish festival of Purim, is unacceptable."
March 21
After nightfall, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a Qassam rocket at the Eshkol Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported.
March 22
Around 4 pm, Palestinians fired four mortar shells at Alumim
and Sa'ad
. No injuries or damage were reported.
In the evening, Palestinians fired a Grad missile from the northern Gaza Strip and several mortar shells at Ashkelon
; the Grad landed south of the city. No injuries or damage were reported.
In the evening, the Israel Defense Forces
attacked a Palestinian terror cell in the midst of preparing to fire a long-range rocket into Israel, killing four terrorists. Israeli military sources said the same terrorists were behind the Grad missile attack on Beersheba
on 23 February.
March 23
During the night, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a Grad missile at Ashdod, which landed in an open area south of the city. This was the first time Ashdod, one of Israel's largest cities and relatively far from the Gaza Strip, was targeted since the Gaza War. Sirens were heard in the city and in nearby Gedera
and Kiryat Malachi. No injuries or damage were reported. Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility.
At 5:30 am, Palestinians launched another Grad missile at Beersheba
. The rocket hit a street in the midst of a residential area. A 56-year-old man was injured by shrapnel that penetrated his third-floor apartment, and three other people suffered from shock. Several buildings, including a synagogue
, were damaged. Fearing additional attacks, the city closed schools and universities for the day. Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility, saying, "This is an initial reaction to the Zionist crimes against our people in Gaza."
Four hours later, Palestinians fired a third Grad missile at Beersheba, hitting an open area within the city.
Later, Palestinians fired seven mortar shells at the Eshkol Regional Council
and one at the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council. Some of the shells contained white phosphorus.
US President Barack Obama
condemned the attacks as well as a recent Palestinian terrorist bombing in Jerusalem
"in the strongest possible terms", saying that "there is never any possible justification for terrorism". Israel responded to the attacks with airstrikes on terrorist training sites, weapons-smuggling tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border, and an abandoned rocket launcher. No injuries were reported in the airstrikes.
March 24
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired twelve projectiles at Israeli towns throughout the day, reaching deep into the country. The Israeli cities of Beersheba
, Ashdod and Kiryat Gat kept schools closed for the day, fearing additional attacks. The Ashkelon
municipality held classes as usual, but the local Parents' Committee urged residents to keep their children at home. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton condemned the attacks as well as the recent Palestinian terrorist bombing in Jerusalem
in "the strongest terms", adding that "attacks on any civilians are completely unacceptable in any circumstance". Details of some of the attacks:
Israel responded during the day with airstrikes on Hamas
buildings in the Gaza Strip.
March 26
Early in the morning, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired two rockets into Israel. One landed in the Eshkol Regional Council
, exploding three yards from a home in one of the area's communities. The house was severely damaged but the eight family members who were sleeping inside were unharmed. Another home was moderately damaged. The second rocket landed in an open area in an unspecified location. No injuries were reported.
In the evening, a third rocket hit the Eshkol Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported.
March 27
A Palestinian Islamic Jihad cell near Jabaliya was attempting to launch a projectile into Israel when it was targeted by an Israeli airstrike. Two PIJ militants were killed and three PIJ militants were wounded.
March 29
Palestinians fired an unspecified number of Qassam rockets at Sderot
, but all the projectiles fell within the Gaza strip. The Color Red alarm sounded in the Israeli city. Israel responded the following day with airstrikes on a Palestinian Islamic Jihad cell, killing one PIJ terrorist and wounding another, and on a smuggling tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip.
March 31
Around 7:30 pm, Palestinian terrorists in the northern Gaza Strip fired a Qassam rocket that landed in an open area south of Ashkelon
. No injuries or damage were reported. The Color Red alarm sounded in nearby communities.
April 5
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a Qassam rocket at the Eshkol Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported. Israel responded with airstrikes on two militant infiltration tunnels in the northern Gaza Strip. Palestinians said that four people were lightly to moderately injured. The following day Israel carried out additional airstrikes on another militant infiltration tunnel in the north and three smuggling tunnels in the south. No injuries were reported.
April 7
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a Kornet anti-tank missile at a school bus
in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council
, outside Sa'ad
. In the explosion, 16-year-old boy Daniel Viflic was critically injured with a shrapnel wound to the head, and the driver was moderately injured. The boy died of his wounds ten days later. Hamas
issued a press release that evening claiming responsibility, calling the incident a retaliation for a previous Israeli strike that killed three Hamas leaders and vowing further attacks. The fact that the Russian-made Kornet is a laser-guided weapon indicated that the school bus was intentionally targeted. The attack opened a several-day stretch of violence in which Palestinians launched over 100 projectiles at Israel and Israeli responses left 19 Hamas militants and two civilians dead.
Israeli President Shimon Peres
said the attack showed that Gaza had turned into a terror state. The United States
condemned "the attack on innocent civilians... in the strongest possible terms, saying "there is no justification for the targeting of innocent civilians and those responsible for these terrorist attacks should be held accountable." British Foreign Secretary William Hague
"unreservedly" condemned the attack as "despicable" and "cowardly", and said reports suggested that the school bus was deliberately targeted.
Over the next three hours, at least 45 additional Palestinian projectiles hit Israel. Residents were instructed to stay inside their homes, children were ordered to stay inside schools, and police sealed roads in the area for fear of additional attacks. European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton "strongly" condemned the attacks. Details of some of the incidents:
Israel responded with airstrikes on terror cells and smuggling tunnels.
April 8
Despite the announcement by Gazan terror organizations of a unilateral ceasefire at 11 pm the previous night, Palestinians fired at least 24 mortar shells and 6 rockets at Israel, causing serious damage to a factory and to chicken coops. Hamas
, Fatah
, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Popular Resistance Committees
, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine
and the little-known Abu Al-Qumsan Brigades all claimed responsibility for various attacks. Israeli children in the danger zone were held in school for safety reasons until the attacks ended. 450 schoolchildren at the "Nitzanei Eshkol" school were evacuated with a security forces escort. No injuries were reported. Details of some of the attacks:
Israel responded with airstrikes, killing four Hamas
militants and one Popular Resistance Committees
militant.
April 9
Palestinians fired over 65 projectiles at Israel. Five people were injured while running to bomb shelter
s. Details of some of the attacks:
Israel responded with airstrikes, killing two senior Hamas
militants and one Popular Resistance Committees
militant.
April 10
Palestinians fired about 20 rockets and mortars at Israel. Details of some of the attacks:
Israel refrained from responding to the attacks.
April 12
According to the Palestinian Ma'an News Agency
, al-Qaeda
-affiliated Gazan militant group Tawhid and Jihad
claimed to have launched two missiles at Nirim
at 7:50 pm. The group said its claimed attack was "a response to Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip", without clarifying further. However, the Israel Defense Forces
said they were not aware of a rocket attack taking place at that time.
April 15
Palestinians fired two Grad missiles at Ashdod from the Beit Lahiya neighborhood of al-Atatra in the northern Gaza Strip. Alarms sounded in Ashdod and nearby Ashkelon
. One rocket exploded in a residential area and the second landed outside the city. No injuries or damage were reported. Israel responded several hours later with airstrikes on militant targets. No injuries were reported.
April 18
On Passover
eve, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a Qassam rocket at the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council
. It exploded in an open area near a kibbutz
, and no injuries or damage were reported. The Color Red alert sounded in the area and in Sderot
.
May 28
Overnight, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a rocket at the Eshkol Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported. This was the first such attack in six weeks.
June 15
At about 9:30 pm, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a Qasssam rocket at the Eshkol Regional Council
. The projectile landed in an open area, and no injuries or damage were reported. The Color Red siren sounded in the region.
June 21
After nightfall, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a mortar shell at the Eshkol Regional Council
, followed half an hour later by a Qassam rocket fired at the same area. No injuries or damage were reported in either attack. The incident affected an Israeli national civil defense
drill the following day. Israel responded with an airstrike on an infiltration tunnel in the central Gaza Strip, causing no injuries.
July 3
In the morning, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a rocket at the Eshkol Regional Council
, causing no injuries or damage. Israel responded with an airstrike on an infiltration tunnel in the northern Gaza Strip, also causing no injuries.
July 5
Mohammed Said and Kamal Abu Moamer, two members of the al-Qaeda
-affiliated group Tawhid al-Jihad
based in the southern Gaza Strip, were killed in an Israeli airstrike as they were preparing to launch a rocket into Israel from the central part of the Strip.
July 9
In the evening, Palestinians fired three Qassam rockets at Israel. Two rockets hit open areas in the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council; a third landed within the Gaza Strip. No injuries or damage were reported. Israel responded with an airstrike on an infiltration tunnel in the northern Gaza Strip, causing no injuries.
July 12
Around 10:15 pm, Palestinians fired two Qassam rockets at Israel. One of the rockets exploded several feet from a home in the Sdot Negev Regional Council
, damaging it, while the other hit an open area in the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council. No injuries were reported. The Color Red siren sounded, and residents also received text messages asking them to enter fortified spaces. Israel responded with airstrikes on two Gazan sites identified as weapons manufacturing facilities, causing no injuries.
July 13
In the morning, Palestinians fired a rocket at the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council. No injuries were reported. Israel responded with airstrikes on two tunnels in the southern Gaza Strip and a third in the north.
July 14
In the morning, Palestinians fired a rocket at the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council. In the afternoon, Palestinians fired three more rockets at unspecified areas in Israel. In the evening, two more rockets were fired at the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported in any of the attacks. Israel responded with airstrikes on four Hamas training camps in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian sources said that two children were lightly injured.
July 15
Palestinians fired a mortar shell at the Eshkol Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported.
July 16
Overnight, Palestinians fired a rocket at the Eshkol Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported.
July 17
Starting about 1 am, Palestinians fired three Qassam rockets at Israel. The first rocket hit the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council. Two additional rockets exploded later in the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported. The Color Red alarm did not sound.
July 19
After nightfall, Palestinians fired a Qassam rocket at the Sdot Negev Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported. Israel responded with airstrikes on terror targets in the Gaza Strip, causing no reported injuries.
July 28
In the morning, Palestinians fired a Qassam rocket at the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council. The Color red alarm sounded in the area. No injuries or damage were reported.
Palestinians fired a Qassam rocket at the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council. It exploded near a Bedouin
tent, injuring 55-year-old shepherd
ess Fatma Saria in the lower limbs. The Color Red alarm sounded in the region.
August 3
At about 10:30pm, Palestinians fired a rocket at the Lakhish Regional Council
, between Sderot
and Kiryat Gat. The Abdullah Azzam Brigades claimed responsibility for the attack.
August 4
Shortly after midnight, Palestinians fired a rocket that exploded at the entrance to Ashkelon
. Five people were lightly injured seeking shelter after the Color Red alarm sounded. Israel responded with an airstrike on a Hamas militant center in the Gaza Strip.
In the evening, Palestinians fired two rockets at Kiryat Gat. No physical injuries were reported, but two people were treated for shock. The Color Red alarm sounded in the city.
August 7
After nightfall, Palestinians fired a Qassam rocket at the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council
. The rocket landed near a kibbutz
, triggering the Color Red alarm.
Later, Palestinians fired three mortar shells at the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council, damaging a fence.
August 15
Palestinians fired a Grad rocket into Beersheba
. Israel responded with airstrikes on five targets in the Gaza Strip, killing one armed Hamas
terrorist and wounding several others. In a separate incident, several Palestinians were scattered by the Israeli Air Force as they were attempting to fire a rocket into Israel.
August 18
Palestinians fired two rockets at Ashkelon
; at least one of them was intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system. The Popular Resistance Committees
claimed responsibility. Later, two more rockets fired at Ashkelon were intercepted by Iron Dome.
August 19
Palestinians terrorists fired 17 rockets and several mortars at Israel. Responsibility for various attacks was claimed by the Popular Resistance Committees
and Fatah
's Al Aqsa Brigades and al-Mujahideen Brigades. The streets in Beersheba
were said to be empty for fear of rockets. Details of some of the attacks:
Israel responded with airstrikes on four targets in the Gaza Strip, killing senior Popular Resistance Committees
commander Samed Abdul Mu'ty Abed as he was on his motorcycle.
August 20
As Hamas
announced it would renew attacks on Israelis, Palestinians fired 64 rockets at Israel. The projectiles reached Ashdod, Ashkelon
, Beersheba
and Ofakim, forcing more than half a million Israelis into bomb shelters. A Grad rocket fired at Beersheba killed 38-year-old Yossi Shoshan of Ofakim, who was on his way to ensure the safety of his 9-month pregnant wife. Many others were injured in Beersheba, Ashdod and Ofakim, including a 4-month-old baby. Details of some of the attacks:
August 21
August 22
August 24
Palestinians fired more than 20 rockets on Israeli communities. Grad rockets fell on the cities of Beersheba
, Ashkelon
and Ofakim, injuring a 9-month-old baby. Israel responded with airstrikes, killing a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative invlolved in a recent terrorist shooting attack on Israel.
August 25
Palestinians fired at least 15 rockets and mortars at Israel. Details of the attacks:
Israel responded with airstrikes on several targets in the Gaza Strip, killing two Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants involved in the attack against the Erez Crossing Terminal.
August 26
At about 3 pm, Palestinians fired a Grad rocket at Ashkelon
, despite a ceasefire announced by Palestinian Islamic Jihad the previous day. Shortly after 10 pm, two Qassam rockets were fired at the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council
. No injuries were reported in either incident. The leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
claimed responsibility for two attacks on Ashkelon.
August 27
A Qassam rocket fell in the Negev. No injuries or damage were reported.
August 28
A Grad rocket fired was fired at Hatzerim
in the Bnei Shimon Regional Council
, near Beersheba
. After nightfall, a Qassam rocket was fired at the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council
. No injures were reported in either attack. Tawhid wal-Jihad claimed responsibility for both.
August 29
A Qassam rocket was fired at the Eshkol Regional Council. No injures or damage were reported. Tawhid wal-Jihad claimed responsibility.
August 31
Two Qassam rockets hit the Eshkol Regional Council. No injures or damage were reported.
A rocket fell in an open area in the western Negev. There were no casualties or damage.
September 29
A rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit the Sha’ar Hanegev Regional Council, causing damage to an abandoned building. In response, an IAF aircraft targeted a terror activity site in the central Gaza Strip overnight. A direct hit was confirmed.
September 30
IAF aircraft identified a squad of terrorists preparing to launch rockets at Israel from the northern Gaza Strip, and thwarted the attempt by firing at them. A hit was confirmed.
October 4
Two Grad rockets were fired from northern Gaza towards Israel. One rocket exploded in an open field in the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council while the second one fell in Palestinian territory. No injuries or damage were reported.
October 11
A Qassam rocket was fired from the northern Gaza Strip and exploded near the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council. No injuries were reported but a few green houses sustained damages.
October 26
A Grad rocket fired from Gaza landed in an open territory in the Be'er Tuvia Regional Council
on Wednesday night. There were no casualties or damage, but several people suffered shock. A Color Red siren was heard in several communities including Ashdod, Kiryat Malachi, Rehovot, Ness Ziona and Gan Yavne. Israeli Air Force responded by attacking three terror activity sites and a weapons storage facility in Gaza. Direct hits were confirmed.
October 29
On Saturday, an Israeli aircraft targeted a terrorist squad in southern Gaza Strip that was preparing to launch long-range rockets. Five Islamic Jihad
militants were killed, including a senior commander of the al-Quds Brigades. The squad was responsible for the firing of the Grad rocket on Wednesday.
In response, more than 24 rockets were fired at Israel:
Israel carried out additional airstrikes, hitting another squad preparing to fire rockets. Other four Islamic Jihad militants were killed.
October 30
Twelve rockets were fired into Israel since midnight. None of them caused casualties. Two rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system. Israel responded with airstrikes on several terror activity sites in Gaza, including at least three rocket-launching platforms, tunnels and a terrorist squad prepared to launch rockets, killing one DFLP militant.
October 31
A terrorist squad that fired a Qassam rocket at Israel from southern Gaza Strip was targeted by an IAF aircraft. A direct hit was confirmed. Two militants belonging to al-Ahrar, a minor split of Fatah
, were killed in the strike. In the evening, Gazan militants fired five rockets at southern Israel. Two landed near Beersheba
, one in Sderot
and one in the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
, while a fifth launched against Beersheba was successfully intercepted by the Iron Dome
defense system. No casualties were reported.
In the evening, a rocket launched from Gaza fell in the Eshkol Regional Council
, without causing injuries or damage.
November 4
Palestinian militants fired a rocket into southern Israel, causing no injuries or damage.
November 5
An Israeli aircraft attacked Palestinian gunmen who were preparing to fire a rocket into Israel, killing one Islamic Jihad militant and injuring two.
November 6
Two rockets fired from Gaza exploded in open areas in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council
. The first rocket didn't cause injuries or damage, while the second one caused shrapnel wounds to a Thai foreign worker.
November 9
Palestinian militants fired two rockets which landed in the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
. No injuries or damage were reported.
November 10
A rocket was fired at night against southern Israel, causing no injuries. Israel retaliated with an airstrike against a training post belonging to Gaza militants north of Khan Yunis
.
November 13
Gaza militants fired a Qassam rocket at the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
, causing no injuries or damage. In response, Israeli Air Force struck a naval police post in the northern part of Gaza City, leaving one Palestinian dead and four wounded.
November 15
Gaza terrorists launched two Qassam rockets at Israeli communities in the western Negev. One rocket hit a local kindergarten. There were no physical injuries in the attack, but the kindergarten was badly damaged. The other rocket exploded in an open area, causing no injuries or property damage. In response, overnight Israel struck terror targets in northern Gaza. Direct hits were recorded on a terror tunnel and on an additional center of terrorist activity.
November 26
A rocket fired from Gaza hit the Eshkol Regional Council
, causing no injuries or damage. In response, Israeli aircraft struck two terror activity sites in southern and central Gaza Strip.
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
rocket
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
and mortar
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
attacks on Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in 2011 from the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
.
Overview and notable developments
At the very end of 2010, Palestinian Islamic Jihad stated that it and other Palestinians militant groups in the Gaza Strip would temporarily halt rocket attacks against Israel. However, by 7 January, Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for a mortar attack that injured three agricultural workers, and the group was responsible for most of the attacks on Israel in the first two weeks of the year. On 12 January, the group declared again that it would cease firing rockets. Multiple, unclaimed rocket and mortar attacks occurred on 16, 17 and 18 January.On 2 January, it was revealed that two East Jerusalem Arabs, employees of the British Consulate General in Jerusalem, were arrested for suspected involvement in an aborted Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
plot to fire a missile at Teddy Stadium during a soccer match. The two were charged the following day with weapons trafficking.
On 15 March, Israel seized the Victoria, a ship containing concealed Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian missiles destined for the Gaza Strip.
On 27 March, Israel first deployed the new Iron Dome
Iron Dome
Iron Dome is a mobile air defense system in development by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems designed to intercept short-range rockets and artillery shells. The system was created as a defensive countermeasure to the rocket threat against Israel's civilian population on its northern and southern...
missile defense system to protect Beersheba
Beersheba
Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
. The city, one of Israel's largest, had recently been targeted again by Palestinian missiles after being safe since the 2008-2009 Gaza War. A week later, a second battery was deployed to protect Ashkelon
Ashkelon
Ashkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
. On 7 April, the Ashkelon battery successfully intercepted a Palestinian Grad missile fired at the city, marking the first successful interception of a short range rocket in history. On 31 August, Israel deployed a third battery outside Ashdod before the new school year. As of that date, Iron Dome had intercepted several dozen Gazan rockets at an estimated cost of $100,000 per interception, not including the price of the system itself.
On 4 April, Israel indicted alleged Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
"rocket godfather" Dirar Abu Sisi in the Beersheba District Court. Abu Sisi had reportedly been captured by Israel in the Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
a month prior. He denied any wrongdoing.
On 7 April, Hamas militants fired a Kornet anti-tank missile at an Israel school bus
School bus
A school bus is a type of bus designed and manufactured for student transport: carrying children and teenagers to and from school and school events...
. The sole passenger on board, 16-year-old boy Daniel Viflic, was killed.
On 18 August, a series of cross-border attacks
2011 southern Israel cross-border attacks
On August 18, 2011, a series of cross-border attacks with parallel attacks and mutual cover was carried out in southern Israel on Highway 12 near the Egyptian border by a squad of presumably 12 militants in four groups...
were carried out in southern Israel near the Egyptian border. The initial attacks sparked several days of clashes between Israel and Palestinian militant groups that resulted in substantial casualties to both sides.
January
According to the Israel Security Agency's monthly summary, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip launched 17 rockets and 26 mortar shells were towards Israel in 25 separate attacks. This represented a decline in number of projectiles fired from December 2010, which saw 15 rockets and 38 mortar shells launched in 30 separate attacks.January 1
In the evening, a mortar shell fired by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip landed near a kibbutz
Kibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council
Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
The Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council , is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The Regional Council's territory lies midway between Beersheba and Ashkelon, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip. The eastern border abuts Bnei Shimon...
. A woman suffered from shock, but no physical injuries or damage were reported. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine is a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist organisation founded in 1967. It has consistently been the second-largest of the groups forming the Palestine Liberation Organization , the largest being Fatah...
claimed responsibility for mortar attacks that day, saying that it had fired four mortars at two military posts in Israel and adding that it would "cling to the option of resistance and confront the Israeli occupation". That night, Israel responded to the attack and to a separate attack two days earlier with airstrikes on two targets in the Gaza Strip, described by the Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
as a Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
terrorist activity center in the north and a weapons manufacturing facility in the center of the territory. Palestinians said that two people were injured.
January 2
A projectile fired by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip hit the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine is a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist organisation founded in 1967. It has consistently been the second-largest of the groups forming the Palestine Liberation Organization , the largest being Fatah...
and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine
Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine
The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine is a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist, secular political and military organization. It is also frequently referred to as the Democratic Front, or al-Jabha al-Dimuqratiyah...
claimed responsibility for attacks that day, saying they had fired several projectiles at Israeli targets late at night in response to "ongoing Israeli aggression against the people of Gaza". However, an Israeli military spokeswoman said she was not aware of any shells launched from Gaza at that time.
January 4
In the afternoon, a Qassam rocket fired by Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip exploded near a kibbutz in the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council. No injuries were reported, but several greenhouse
Greenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
s sustained damage. No militant group claimed responsibility. Israel responded that day with airstrikes on a Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
militant training facility in the central part of the Gaza Strip and a smuggling tunnel in the south. No injuries were reported.
January 5
Two mortar shells fired by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip landed in open areas in the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries or damage were reported. Five additional mortars hit the Eshkol Regional Council that day, according to the IDF website.
After nightfall, a Qassam rocket hit an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries or damage were reported.
January 6
In the morning, a mortar shell fired by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fell in the Sdot Negev Regional Council
Sdot Negev Regional Council
Sdot Negev Regional Council , formerly known as Azata Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev desert in the South District of Israel. Established in 1951, it covers two kibbutzim, 12 moshavim and two communal settlements...
. No injuries or damage were reported. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine is a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist organisation founded in 1967. It has consistently been the second-largest of the groups forming the Palestine Liberation Organization , the largest being Fatah...
claimed responsibility for mortar attacks at that time, saying that it had fired three shells at an Israeli military base near Kissufim
Kissufim
Kissufim is a kibbutz in the northwestern Negev desert in Israel. Located adjacent to the Gaza Strip, it falls under the jurisdiction of Eshkol Regional Council. It sits at an altitude of 92 metres above sea level.- History :...
. However, an Israeli military spokeswoman said she was not aware of any attacks in that area. Israel responded that night with airstrikes on two sites in the Gaza Strip, which it identified as a Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
terror base in the north and an infiltration tunnel in the south intended for carrying out attacks against Israelis. No injuries were reported.
January 7
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a projectile at Israel. No injuries or damage were reported.
January 8
At about 2:20 pm, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired four 181-millimeter mortar shells at Israel, all of which landed in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council
Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
The Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council , is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The Regional Council's territory lies midway between Beersheba and Ashkelon, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip. The eastern border abuts Bnei Shimon...
. One of the shells hit a residential area within an agricultural community in the area. Three Thai
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
foreign agricultural workers were injured, one seriously, one moderately and one lightly, all by shrapnel. A number of other people suffered from shock. The shell also killed a cat nearby. Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility, saying that it had fired six mortar shells at an Israeli military post near Nahal Oz
Nahal Oz
Nahal Oz is a kibbutz in southern Israel. Located in the northwestern part of the Negev desert close to the border with the Gaza Strip and near the development towns of Sderot and Netivot, it falls under the jurisdiction of Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of...
.
Towards the evening, an additional Palestinian mortar shell landed in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries or damage were reported.
After nightfall, Palestinians fired a Qassam rocket which landed in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported.
Within an hour, Palestinians fired a second Qassam rocket into the Eshkol Regional Council. Truck driver Yitzhak Zaafrani was lightly wounded in the face and his truck was damaged.
January 9
In the morning, Palestinians fired a Qassam rocket into the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries or damage were reported. Israel responded overnight to the attacks of the previous two days with airstrikes on two terror activity targets in the Gaza Strip. No injuries were reported. According to DEBKA
Debka.com
DEBKAfile is a Jerusalem-based English language Israeli open source military intelligence website with commentary and analyses on terrorism, intelligence, security, and military and political affairs in the Middle East...
, the targets were Hamas underground command centers recently built by engineers from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
January 10
In the evening, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired three rockets at Israel. One hit an industrial area in Ashkelon
Ashkelon
Ashkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
, while the other two fell in the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported.
Later, Palestinians fired another Qassam rocket which landed in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries were reported.
January 11
In the morning, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a rocket which exploded south of Ashkelon
Ashkelon
Ashkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
. No injuries or damage were reported. Israel responded overnight to the attacks of the previous two days with airstrikes on two Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
compounds and a Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant training base.
January 16
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired three mortar shells at Israel, all of which exploded in an open area near a kibbutz in the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
The Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council , is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The Regional Council's territory lies midway between Beersheba and Ashkelon, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip. The eastern border abuts Bnei Shimon...
. No injuries or damage were reported. The Color Red siren did not sound.
January 17
In the morning, a Qassam rocket fired by Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip exploded in an orchard near a community in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council
Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
The Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council , is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The Regional Council's territory lies midway between Beersheba and Ashkelon, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip. The eastern border abuts Bnei Shimon...
. No injuries or damage were reported.
January 18
In the early afternoon, four mortar shells fired by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip landed in open areas in the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries or damage were reported.
January 21
A mortar fired by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip landed in an unspecified location in the western Negev. No injuries or damage were reported.
January 25
In the evening, a Qassam rocket fired by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fell in an open area in the Sdot Negev Regional Council
Sdot Negev Regional Council
Sdot Negev Regional Council , formerly known as Azata Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev desert in the South District of Israel. Established in 1951, it covers two kibbutzim, 12 moshavim and two communal settlements...
. No injuries or damage were reported.
Later in the evening, a second rocket exploded in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries or damage were reported.
January 31
A Qassam rocket fired by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip exploded in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries or damage were reported.
A Grad rocket landed near a residential neighborhood in the city of Netivot
Netivot
Netivot is a city in the Southern District of Israel in Israel. At the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 26,700. It was founded in 1956 as a development town along with Sderot to the north, and Ofakim to the south...
. The explosion disrupted a wedding in the vicinity of the landing site; four people suffered from shock, and damage was caused to a road and a parked car. Another Grad rocket exploded near the city of Ofakim a few minutes later, but no injuries or damage were reported.
Israel responded on 2 February with an airstrike on a smuggling tunnel under the Gaza-Egypt border. No injuries were reported. Israel also submitted a letter of complaint to the United Nations.
February
According to the Israel Security Agency's monthly summary, Palestinians fired 6 rockets and 19 mortar shells at Israel in 14 separate attacks.February 4
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a Qassam rocket into the Sdot Negev Regional Council
Sdot Negev Regional Council
Sdot Negev Regional Council , formerly known as Azata Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev desert in the South District of Israel. Established in 1951, it covers two kibbutzim, 12 moshavim and two communal settlements...
. No injuries or damage were reported. The Color Red alarm did not sound.
February 6
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired two mortar shells into the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council
Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
The Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council , is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The Regional Council's territory lies midway between Beersheba and Ashkelon, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip. The eastern border abuts Bnei Shimon...
.
After nightfall, two additional mortar shells landed in open areas in the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries or damage were reported in either incident.
February 8
At around 11 am, two mortar shells launched by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip landed in a kibbutz in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council
Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
The Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council , is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The Regional Council's territory lies midway between Beersheba and Ashkelon, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip. The eastern border abuts Bnei Shimon...
. One projectile landed in a parking lot, damaging a car. A second landed in a nearby field and damaged a hose. No injuries were reported.
Shortly after 2 pm, two more mortars were fired at the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council from the northern Gaza Strip. No injuries or damage were reported. The Color Red rocket alert system sounded during both attacks and residents of the area were asked to temporarily remain in their homes. Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility, saying the attacks were directed at a military post east of Khan Younis.
Israel responded to the attacks with airstrikes on an infiltration tunnel in the northern Gaza Strip, a rocket manufacturing facility, and a third target near Jabaliya. Palestinian sources said that eight people were lightly injured.
February 9
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine is a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist organisation founded in 1967. It has consistently been the second-largest of the groups forming the Palestine Liberation Organization , the largest being Fatah...
said that its militants fired a projectile at an Israeli military jeep in the morning. The Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
said they were not familiar with the incident.
February 14
Around noon, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a Qassam rocket into the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries or damage were reported. The attack, which occurred after several days of relative calm, coincided with the swearing of Benny Gantz as new Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces. Ilana Curiel of Israel News speculated that the attack was a signal by Palestinian terror groups that they would not "make life easy" for him.
February 23
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired three mortar shells at a kibbutz
Kibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council
Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
The Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council , is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The Regional Council's territory lies midway between Beersheba and Ashkelon, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip. The eastern border abuts Bnei Shimon...
. One of the projectiles exploded near a soccer field, another near a pool and the third outside the border fence. No injuries were reported. The Color Red alarm did not sound. Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for mortars fired that day, saying it launched two shells at IDF forces which crossed the fence into the Gaza Strip.
Around 9:30 pm, Palestinians fired three Grad missiles at Beersheba
Beersheba
Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
, one of Israel's largest cities. One of the missiles hit the backyard of a home in a residential area, causing extensive damage to surrounding houses and vehicles. Four residents - two adults and two children - were treated for shock. No physical injuries were reported. The Color Red alarm sounded through the city mere seconds before the explosion. This marked the first time Beersheba was hit by Palestinian rockets since the 2009 Gaza War.
Israel responded that day with an airstrike on a Palestinian Islamic Jihad cell in eastern Gaza City, wounding three militants. This was followed by several airstrikes on military targets throughout the Gaza Strip, which caused heavy damage to buildings. The following day, a further airstrike on a Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
vehicle in the Al Salaam area of Rafah
Rafah
Rafah , also known as Rafiah, is a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip. Located south of Gaza, Rafah's population of 71,003 is overwhelmingly made up of Palestinian refugees. Rafah camp and Tall as-Sultan form separate localities. Rafah is the district capital of the Rafah Governorate...
killed one person and wounded several others.
February 26
A mortar shell fired by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip landed in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries or damage were reported. Israel responded with airstrikes on Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
and Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant facilities in the Gaza Strip. Four Palestinians were lightly injured.
February 27
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a Qassam rocket at the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries or damage were reported. The Color Red alarm did not sound.
A mortar shell was fired from the northern Gaza Strip Israel but landed in Palestinian territory near the Erez border crossing. No injuries or damage were reported. Residents of three towns in the Shaar HaNegev and Ashkelon Coast regional councils were requested to remain in their protected spaces for fear of additional attacks.
March
According to the Israel Security Agency's monthly summary, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired 38 rockets and 87 mortar shells at Israel in 47 separate attacks.March 3
During the night, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a projectile at the Sdot Negev Regional Council
Sdot Negev Regional Council
Sdot Negev Regional Council , formerly known as Azata Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev desert in the South District of Israel. Established in 1951, it covers two kibbutzim, 12 moshavim and two communal settlements...
. The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine
Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine
The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine is a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist, secular political and military organization. It is also frequently referred to as the Democratic Front, or al-Jabha al-Dimuqratiyah...
claimed responsibility for the attack, saying its militants had fired a C5K rocket at an Israeli military tower near Kissufim
Kissufim
Kissufim is a kibbutz in the northwestern Negev desert in Israel. Located adjacent to the Gaza Strip, it falls under the jurisdiction of Eshkol Regional Council. It sits at an altitude of 92 metres above sea level.- History :...
. "We choose the option of resistance as the means to attain our national rights, and promise the Palestinian people that we will continue resistance against Israeli forces," a statement from the group said.
March 4
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired two Qassam rockets at Israel. One exploded in the Sdot Negev Regional Council
Sdot Negev Regional Council
Sdot Negev Regional Council , formerly known as Azata Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev desert in the South District of Israel. Established in 1951, it covers two kibbutzim, 12 moshavim and two communal settlements...
and the other apparently landed within Palestinian territory. No injuries or damage were reported.
March 5
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a rocket at an unspecified site in the western Negev. No injuries or damage were reported. Israel responded with airstrikes on Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
militant posts in Zeitoun, Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis. No injuries were reported.
March 9
After nightfall, a Qassam rocket fired by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip landed in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries or damage were reported.
March 16
Palestinians fired a rocket into Sderot
Sderot
Sderot is a western Negev city in the Southern District of Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 20,700. The city has been an ongoing target of Qassam rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip...
. No injuries or damage were reported. Israel responded with an airstrike on a Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
compound in the Gaza Strip, killing two Hamas militants and injuring one.
March 18
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired four mortar shells at Israel. Some fell in unspecified locations in the western Negev, and some fell within the Gaza Strip.
Around 4 pm, Palestinian terrorists fired six additional mortar shells into the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries or damage were reported.
March 19
In the early morning, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired 54 mortars on Israeli communities within a period of 15 minutes. A man and his wife were wounded by shrapnel as they fled toward a safe zone. Several homes on a kibbutz
Kibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
were badly damaged. One mortar shell landed on the rooftop of a kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
, but the building was empty because it was Shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
, the Jewish day of rest. Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was a response to the death of two of the group's militants in an Israeli airstrike several days earlier. According to The Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, the unusually extreme attack by Hamas was an attempt by the Islamist group to divert its people's wrath and to avoid being engulfed by the concurrent popular uprisings in the Middle East
2010–2011 Middle East and North Africa protests
The Arab Spring , otherwise known as the Arab Awakening, is a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests occurring in the Arab world that began on Saturday, 18 December 2010...
.
Israel responded with airstrikes and tank fire, killing one Hamas official and injuring four others.
March 20
On the Jewish holiday of Purim
Purim
Purim is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire from destruction in the wake of a plot by Haman, a story recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther .Purim is celebrated annually according to the Hebrew calendar on the 14th...
, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a mortar and two Qassam rockets at Israel.
Later in the day, Palestinians fired a Grad missile at southern Ashkelon
Ashkelon
Ashkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
. One elderly woman was lightly injured, and several other people suffered from shock. Sirens were heard in the city. British Minister for the Middle East and North Africa Alistair Burt
Alistair Burt
Alistair James Hendrie Burt is a British Conservative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for North East Bedfordshire...
condemned Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
for its attacks on Israel as well as its assaults on Palestinian protesters in the Gaza Strip, saying: "Hamas should not think that while the attention of the world is elsewhere we will turn a blind eye to their actions. The indiscriminate targeting of Israeli citizens, as they celebrated the Jewish festival of Purim, is unacceptable."
March 21
After nightfall, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a Qassam rocket at the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries or damage were reported.
March 22
Around 4 pm, Palestinians fired four mortar shells at Alumim
Alumim
Alumim is a kibbutz located in the north-western Negev desert in southern Israel. Located close to the Gaza Strip, it falls under the jurisdiction of Sdot Negev Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 382.-History:...
and Sa'ad
Sa'ad
Sa'ad is a religious kibbutz in the Negev desert in southern Israel. Located near the Gaza strip, and the cities of Sderot and Netivot, it falls under the jurisdiction of Sdot Negev Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 599.-History:...
. No injuries or damage were reported.
In the evening, Palestinians fired a Grad missile from the northern Gaza Strip and several mortar shells at Ashkelon
Ashkelon
Ashkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
; the Grad landed south of the city. No injuries or damage were reported.
In the evening, the Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
attacked a Palestinian terror cell in the midst of preparing to fire a long-range rocket into Israel, killing four terrorists. Israeli military sources said the same terrorists were behind the Grad missile attack on Beersheba
Beersheba
Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
on 23 February.
March 23
During the night, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a Grad missile at Ashdod, which landed in an open area south of the city. This was the first time Ashdod, one of Israel's largest cities and relatively far from the Gaza Strip, was targeted since the Gaza War. Sirens were heard in the city and in nearby Gedera
Gedera
-External links:** *...
and Kiryat Malachi. No injuries or damage were reported. Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility.
At 5:30 am, Palestinians launched another Grad missile at Beersheba
Beersheba
Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
. The rocket hit a street in the midst of a residential area. A 56-year-old man was injured by shrapnel that penetrated his third-floor apartment, and three other people suffered from shock. Several buildings, including a synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
, were damaged. Fearing additional attacks, the city closed schools and universities for the day. Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility, saying, "This is an initial reaction to the Zionist crimes against our people in Gaza."
Four hours later, Palestinians fired a third Grad missile at Beersheba, hitting an open area within the city.
Later, Palestinians fired seven mortar shells at the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
and one at the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council. Some of the shells contained white phosphorus.
US President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
condemned the attacks as well as a recent Palestinian terrorist bombing in Jerusalem
2011 Jerusalem bus stop bombing
The 2011 Jerusalem bus bombing was a bomb attack carried out in a bus station in downtown Jerusalem, near the Jerusalem International Convention Center compound on 23 March 2011 at 15:00...
"in the strongest possible terms", saying that "there is never any possible justification for terrorism". Israel responded to the attacks with airstrikes on terrorist training sites, weapons-smuggling tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border, and an abandoned rocket launcher. No injuries were reported in the airstrikes.
March 24
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired twelve projectiles at Israeli towns throughout the day, reaching deep into the country. The Israeli cities of Beersheba
Beersheba
Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
, Ashdod and Kiryat Gat kept schools closed for the day, fearing additional attacks. The Ashkelon
Ashkelon
Ashkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
municipality held classes as usual, but the local Parents' Committee urged residents to keep their children at home. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton condemned the attacks as well as the recent Palestinian terrorist bombing in Jerusalem
2011 Jerusalem bus stop bombing
The 2011 Jerusalem bus bombing was a bomb attack carried out in a bus station in downtown Jerusalem, near the Jerusalem International Convention Center compound on 23 March 2011 at 15:00...
in "the strongest terms", adding that "attacks on any civilians are completely unacceptable in any circumstance". Details of some of the attacks:
- During the night, Palestinians fired a Qassam rocket at the western Negev. No injuries or damage were reported.
- In the morning, Palestinians fired a second Qassam rocket which landed in an open area south of AshkelonAshkelonAshkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
. No injuries or damage were reported. - Shortly before 11 am, a third Palestinian rocket fired from the northern Gaza Strip exploded in an open area in the Eshkol Regional CouncilEshkol Regional CouncilThe Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries or damage were reported. - Around 12:15 pm, a fourth Palestinian Qassam rocket landed in an open area in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional CouncilSha'ar HaNegev Regional CouncilThe Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council , is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The Regional Council's territory lies midway between Beersheba and Ashkelon, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip. The eastern border abuts Bnei Shimon...
. No injuries were reported. - Just before 2 pm, Palestinians fired a fifth rocket at the Eshkol Regional CouncilEshkol Regional CouncilThe Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries were reported. - Two Grad missiles were fired at Ashdod. One struck south of the city and the other to its north; the explosion of the second projectile was heard in YavneYavneYavne is a city in the Central District of Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a population of 33,000.-History:...
. The Color Red alarm was heard throughout the city, as well as in AshkelonAshkelonAshkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
, GederaGedera-External links:** *...
and Gan YavneGan YavneGan Yavne is a in the Center District of Israel, located adjacent to the city of Ashdod. It was founded in 1931 and declared a local council in 1950.Gan Yavne lies east of the Tel-Aviv–Ashkelon highway...
. - A few hours later, a rocket landed in SderotSderotSderot is a western Negev city in the Southern District of Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 20,700. The city has been an ongoing target of Qassam rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip...
and a mortar exploded in the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council. The Color Red alarm sounded. No injuries or damage were reported. - In the evening, Palestinians fired six mortar shells at the Eshkol Regional CouncilEshkol Regional CouncilThe Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries or damage were reported.
Israel responded during the day with airstrikes on Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
buildings in the Gaza Strip.
March 26
Early in the morning, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired two rockets into Israel. One landed in the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
, exploding three yards from a home in one of the area's communities. The house was severely damaged but the eight family members who were sleeping inside were unharmed. Another home was moderately damaged. The second rocket landed in an open area in an unspecified location. No injuries were reported.
In the evening, a third rocket hit the Eshkol Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported.
March 27
A Palestinian Islamic Jihad cell near Jabaliya was attempting to launch a projectile into Israel when it was targeted by an Israeli airstrike. Two PIJ militants were killed and three PIJ militants were wounded.
March 29
Palestinians fired an unspecified number of Qassam rockets at Sderot
Sderot
Sderot is a western Negev city in the Southern District of Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 20,700. The city has been an ongoing target of Qassam rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip...
, but all the projectiles fell within the Gaza strip. The Color Red alarm sounded in the Israeli city. Israel responded the following day with airstrikes on a Palestinian Islamic Jihad cell, killing one PIJ terrorist and wounding another, and on a smuggling tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip.
March 31
Around 7:30 pm, Palestinian terrorists in the northern Gaza Strip fired a Qassam rocket that landed in an open area south of Ashkelon
Ashkelon
Ashkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
. No injuries or damage were reported. The Color Red alarm sounded in nearby communities.
April
According to the Israel Security Agency's monthly summary, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired 87 rockets and 57 mortar shells at Israel in 63 separate attacks.April 5
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a Qassam rocket at the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries or damage were reported. Israel responded with airstrikes on two militant infiltration tunnels in the northern Gaza Strip. Palestinians said that four people were lightly to moderately injured. The following day Israel carried out additional airstrikes on another militant infiltration tunnel in the north and three smuggling tunnels in the south. No injuries were reported.
April 7
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a Kornet anti-tank missile at a school bus
School bus
A school bus is a type of bus designed and manufactured for student transport: carrying children and teenagers to and from school and school events...
in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council
Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
The Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council , is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The Regional Council's territory lies midway between Beersheba and Ashkelon, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip. The eastern border abuts Bnei Shimon...
, outside Sa'ad
Sa'ad
Sa'ad is a religious kibbutz in the Negev desert in southern Israel. Located near the Gaza strip, and the cities of Sderot and Netivot, it falls under the jurisdiction of Sdot Negev Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 599.-History:...
. In the explosion, 16-year-old boy Daniel Viflic was critically injured with a shrapnel wound to the head, and the driver was moderately injured. The boy died of his wounds ten days later. Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
issued a press release that evening claiming responsibility, calling the incident a retaliation for a previous Israeli strike that killed three Hamas leaders and vowing further attacks. The fact that the Russian-made Kornet is a laser-guided weapon indicated that the school bus was intentionally targeted. The attack opened a several-day stretch of violence in which Palestinians launched over 100 projectiles at Israel and Israeli responses left 19 Hamas militants and two civilians dead.
Israeli President Shimon Peres
Shimon Peres
GCMG is the ninth President of the State of Israel. Peres served twice as the eighth Prime Minister of Israel and once as Interim Prime Minister, and has been a member of 12 cabinets in a political career spanning over 66 years...
said the attack showed that Gaza had turned into a terror state. The United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
condemned "the attack on innocent civilians... in the strongest possible terms, saying "there is no justification for the targeting of innocent civilians and those responsible for these terrorist attacks should be held accountable." British Foreign Secretary William Hague
William Hague
William Jefferson Hague is the British Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State. He served as Leader of the Conservative Party from June 1997 to September 2001...
"unreservedly" condemned the attack as "despicable" and "cowardly", and said reports suggested that the school bus was deliberately targeted.
Over the next three hours, at least 45 additional Palestinian projectiles hit Israel. Residents were instructed to stay inside their homes, children were ordered to stay inside schools, and police sealed roads in the area for fear of additional attacks. European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton "strongly" condemned the attacks. Details of some of the incidents:
- One mortar hit a home in the Eshkol Regional CouncilEshkol Regional CouncilThe Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. The house was damaged but no injuries were reported. - A Grad missile fired at AshkelonAshkelonAshkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
was intercepted by the Iron DomeIron DomeIron Dome is a mobile air defense system in development by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems designed to intercept short-range rockets and artillery shells. The system was created as a defensive countermeasure to the rocket threat against Israel's civilian population on its northern and southern...
defense system, marking the first successful interception of a short range rocket in history. - After nightfall, three Qassam rockets were fired into the Ashkelon Coast and EshkolEshkol Regional CouncilThe Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
regional councils. No injuries or damage were reported.
Israel responded with airstrikes on terror cells and smuggling tunnels.
April 8
Despite the announcement by Gazan terror organizations of a unilateral ceasefire at 11 pm the previous night, Palestinians fired at least 24 mortar shells and 6 rockets at Israel, causing serious damage to a factory and to chicken coops. Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
, Fatah
Fatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Popular Resistance Committees
Popular Resistance Committees
The Popular Resistance Committees are a coalition of various armed Palestinian factions that oppose the conciliatory approach adopted by the Palestinian Authority and Fatah towards Israel...
, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine is a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist organisation founded in 1967. It has consistently been the second-largest of the groups forming the Palestine Liberation Organization , the largest being Fatah...
, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine
Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine
The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine is a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist, secular political and military organization. It is also frequently referred to as the Democratic Front, or al-Jabha al-Dimuqratiyah...
and the little-known Abu Al-Qumsan Brigades all claimed responsibility for various attacks. Israeli children in the danger zone were held in school for safety reasons until the attacks ended. 450 schoolchildren at the "Nitzanei Eshkol" school were evacuated with a security forces escort. No injuries were reported. Details of some of the attacks:
- In the afternoon, sixteen Palestinian mortars shells exploded across southern Israel. One shell hit a chicken coop in the Eshkol Regional CouncilEshkol Regional CouncilThe Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. - Later in the afternoon four more mortar shells landed in open areas south of AshkelonAshkelonAshkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
. No injuries or damage were reported. - Four rockets were fired at AshkelonAshkelonAshkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
. Three were intercepted by the Iron DomeIron DomeIron Dome is a mobile air defense system in development by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems designed to intercept short-range rockets and artillery shells. The system was created as a defensive countermeasure to the rocket threat against Israel's civilian population on its northern and southern...
defense system. - In the evening, two mortar shells were fired at a kibbutzKibbutzA kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
in the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council. A residential structure was damaged.
Israel responded with airstrikes, killing four Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
militants and one Popular Resistance Committees
Popular Resistance Committees
The Popular Resistance Committees are a coalition of various armed Palestinian factions that oppose the conciliatory approach adopted by the Palestinian Authority and Fatah towards Israel...
militant.
April 9
Palestinians fired over 65 projectiles at Israel. Five people were injured while running to bomb shelter
Bomb shelter
A bomb shelter is any kind of a civil defense structure designed to provide protection against the effects of a bomb.-Types of shelter:Different kinds of bomb shelters are configured to protect against different kinds of attack and strengths of hostile explosives. For example, an Air-raid shelter...
s. Details of some of the attacks:
- Overnight, 15 Grads were fired into Israeli territory. The Iron DomeIron DomeIron Dome is a mobile air defense system in development by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems designed to intercept short-range rockets and artillery shells. The system was created as a defensive countermeasure to the rocket threat against Israel's civilian population on its northern and southern...
defense system intercepted five of them near BeershebaBeershebaBeersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
and AshkelonAshkelonAshkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
. - A rocket fired at a kibbutzKibbutzA kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
in the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council damaged homes and a water main. - After nightfall, two rocket barrages hit the Eshkol Regional CouncilEshkol Regional CouncilThe Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
.
Israel responded with airstrikes, killing two senior Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
militants and one Popular Resistance Committees
Popular Resistance Committees
The Popular Resistance Committees are a coalition of various armed Palestinian factions that oppose the conciliatory approach adopted by the Palestinian Authority and Fatah towards Israel...
militant.
April 10
Palestinians fired about 20 rockets and mortars at Israel. Details of some of the attacks:
- In the morning, three Palestinian mortar shells hit fields belonging to a kibbutzKibbutzA kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
in the Eshkol Regional CouncilEshkol Regional CouncilThe Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. The projectiles damaged electrical cables, causing power outages in nearby communities. - A Palestinian rocket hit an open area in AshkelonAshkelonAshkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
. - A Palestinian Grad missile fired at AshkelonAshkelonAshkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
was intercepted by the Iron DomeIron DomeIron Dome is a mobile air defense system in development by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems designed to intercept short-range rockets and artillery shells. The system was created as a defensive countermeasure to the rocket threat against Israel's civilian population on its northern and southern...
rocket defense system. - Shortly thereafter, two Palestinian rockets hit open areas in the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council and the Sdot Negev Regional CouncilSdot Negev Regional CouncilSdot Negev Regional Council , formerly known as Azata Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev desert in the South District of Israel. Established in 1951, it covers two kibbutzim, 12 moshavim and two communal settlements...
. - In the afternoon, a Qassam rocket exploded in an open area in the Eshkol Regional CouncilEshkol Regional CouncilThe Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. - Two mortar shells hit an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council.
- Two more mortar shells hit the Eshkol Regional Council.
- Around 9:30 pm, shortly after Palestinian militant groups announced a ceasefire, a Qassam rocket exploded in an open area in the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council.
Israel refrained from responding to the attacks.
April 12
According to the Palestinian Ma'an News Agency
Ma'an News Agency
Ma'an News Agency is a large wire service created in 2005 in the Palestinian Territories. It is part of the Ma'an Network, a non-governmental organisation media network created in 2002 in the Palestinian Territories among independent journalists throughout the West Bank and Gaza and including...
, al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
-affiliated Gazan militant group Tawhid and Jihad
Jahafil Al-Tawhid Wal-Jihad fi Filastin
Jahafil Al-Tawhid Wal-Jihad fi Filastin is a Salafi jihadist Palestinian group in the Gaza Strip linked with al-Qaeda. The establishment of the group was publicly announced on 6 November 2008, with communiqués vowing loyalty to Al-Qaeda, after having "received the messages of Osama bin Laden and...
claimed to have launched two missiles at Nirim
Nirim
Nirim is a kibbutz in the northwestern Negev in Israel. Located near the border with the Gaza Strip, about 7 kilometers east of Khan Yunis, it falls under the jurisdiction of Eshkol Regional Council...
at 7:50 pm. The group said its claimed attack was "a response to Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip", without clarifying further. However, the Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
said they were not aware of a rocket attack taking place at that time.
April 15
Palestinians fired two Grad missiles at Ashdod from the Beit Lahiya neighborhood of al-Atatra in the northern Gaza Strip. Alarms sounded in Ashdod and nearby Ashkelon
Ashkelon
Ashkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
. One rocket exploded in a residential area and the second landed outside the city. No injuries or damage were reported. Israel responded several hours later with airstrikes on militant targets. No injuries were reported.
April 18
On Passover
Passover
Passover is a Jewish holiday and festival. It commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt...
eve, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a Qassam rocket at the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council
Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
The Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council , is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The Regional Council's territory lies midway between Beersheba and Ashkelon, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip. The eastern border abuts Bnei Shimon...
. It exploded in an open area near a kibbutz
Kibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
, and no injuries or damage were reported. The Color Red alert sounded in the area and in Sderot
Sderot
Sderot is a western Negev city in the Southern District of Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 20,700. The city has been an ongoing target of Qassam rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip...
.
May
According to the Israel Security Agency's monthly summary, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip perpetrated only one rocket attack on Israel during this month.May 28
Overnight, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a rocket at the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries or damage were reported. This was the first such attack in six weeks.
June
According to the Israel Security Agency's monthly summary, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired four rockets and one mortar shell at Israel.June 15
At about 9:30 pm, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a Qasssam rocket at the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. The projectile landed in an open area, and no injuries or damage were reported. The Color Red siren sounded in the region.
June 21
After nightfall, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a mortar shell at the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
, followed half an hour later by a Qassam rocket fired at the same area. No injuries or damage were reported in either attack. The incident affected an Israeli national civil defense
Civil defense in Israel
Civil defense in Israel deals with a variety of military and terrorist threats to the civilian population, which have included concealed bombs such as suicide bombings and car bombs, projectiles such as missiles, rockets and mortars, and hijacking of aircraft, buses and buildings...
drill the following day. Israel responded with an airstrike on an infiltration tunnel in the central Gaza Strip, causing no injuries.
July
According to the Israel Security Agency's monthly summary, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired 20 rockets and 2 mortar shells at Israel in 18 separate attacks.July 3
In the morning, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired a rocket at the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
, causing no injuries or damage. Israel responded with an airstrike on an infiltration tunnel in the northern Gaza Strip, also causing no injuries.
July 5
Mohammed Said and Kamal Abu Moamer, two members of the al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
-affiliated group Tawhid al-Jihad
Army of Islam (Gaza Strip)
Army of Islam , also known as Tawhid and Jihad Brigades, is the name used by the Doghmush Hamula for their Islamic militant activities. It is located at the Tzabra neighborhood in the center of the Gaza Strip bordered by Israel and Egypt...
based in the southern Gaza Strip, were killed in an Israeli airstrike as they were preparing to launch a rocket into Israel from the central part of the Strip.
July 9
In the evening, Palestinians fired three Qassam rockets at Israel. Two rockets hit open areas in the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council; a third landed within the Gaza Strip. No injuries or damage were reported. Israel responded with an airstrike on an infiltration tunnel in the northern Gaza Strip, causing no injuries.
July 12
Around 10:15 pm, Palestinians fired two Qassam rockets at Israel. One of the rockets exploded several feet from a home in the Sdot Negev Regional Council
Sdot Negev Regional Council
Sdot Negev Regional Council , formerly known as Azata Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev desert in the South District of Israel. Established in 1951, it covers two kibbutzim, 12 moshavim and two communal settlements...
, damaging it, while the other hit an open area in the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council. No injuries were reported. The Color Red siren sounded, and residents also received text messages asking them to enter fortified spaces. Israel responded with airstrikes on two Gazan sites identified as weapons manufacturing facilities, causing no injuries.
July 13
In the morning, Palestinians fired a rocket at the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council. No injuries were reported. Israel responded with airstrikes on two tunnels in the southern Gaza Strip and a third in the north.
July 14
In the morning, Palestinians fired a rocket at the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council. In the afternoon, Palestinians fired three more rockets at unspecified areas in Israel. In the evening, two more rockets were fired at the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported in any of the attacks. Israel responded with airstrikes on four Hamas training camps in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian sources said that two children were lightly injured.
July 15
Palestinians fired a mortar shell at the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries or damage were reported.
July 16
Overnight, Palestinians fired a rocket at the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries or damage were reported.
July 17
Starting about 1 am, Palestinians fired three Qassam rockets at Israel. The first rocket hit the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council. Two additional rockets exploded later in the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported. The Color Red alarm did not sound.
July 19
After nightfall, Palestinians fired a Qassam rocket at the Sdot Negev Regional Council
Sdot Negev Regional Council
Sdot Negev Regional Council , formerly known as Azata Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev desert in the South District of Israel. Established in 1951, it covers two kibbutzim, 12 moshavim and two communal settlements...
. No injuries or damage were reported. Israel responded with airstrikes on terror targets in the Gaza Strip, causing no reported injuries.
July 28
In the morning, Palestinians fired a Qassam rocket at the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council. The Color red alarm sounded in the area. No injuries or damage were reported.
August
August 1Palestinians fired a Qassam rocket at the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council. It exploded near a Bedouin
Bedouin
The Bedouin are a part of a predominantly desert-dwelling Arab ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes or clans, known in Arabic as ..-Etymology:...
tent, injuring 55-year-old shepherd
Shepherd
A shepherd is a person who tends, feeds or guards flocks of sheep.- Origins :Shepherding is one of the oldest occupations, beginning some 6,000 years ago in Asia Minor. Sheep were kept for their milk, meat and especially their wool...
ess Fatma Saria in the lower limbs. The Color Red alarm sounded in the region.
August 3
At about 10:30pm, Palestinians fired a rocket at the Lakhish Regional Council
Lakhish Regional Council
Lakhish Regional Council is a regional council in the South District of Israel. It surrounds the ancient city of Lakhish and the modern city of Kiryat Gat. It was founded in 1955. Today it includes 15 moshavim and one village, as listed below. As of 2008, three new communities are being built in...
, between Sderot
Sderot
Sderot is a western Negev city in the Southern District of Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 20,700. The city has been an ongoing target of Qassam rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip...
and Kiryat Gat. The Abdullah Azzam Brigades claimed responsibility for the attack.
August 4
Shortly after midnight, Palestinians fired a rocket that exploded at the entrance to Ashkelon
Ashkelon
Ashkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
. Five people were lightly injured seeking shelter after the Color Red alarm sounded. Israel responded with an airstrike on a Hamas militant center in the Gaza Strip.
In the evening, Palestinians fired two rockets at Kiryat Gat. No physical injuries were reported, but two people were treated for shock. The Color Red alarm sounded in the city.
August 7
After nightfall, Palestinians fired a Qassam rocket at the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council
Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
The Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council , is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The Regional Council's territory lies midway between Beersheba and Ashkelon, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip. The eastern border abuts Bnei Shimon...
. The rocket landed near a kibbutz
Kibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
, triggering the Color Red alarm.
Later, Palestinians fired three mortar shells at the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council, damaging a fence.
August 15
Palestinians fired a Grad rocket into Beersheba
Beersheba
Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
. Israel responded with airstrikes on five targets in the Gaza Strip, killing one armed Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
terrorist and wounding several others. In a separate incident, several Palestinians were scattered by the Israeli Air Force as they were attempting to fire a rocket into Israel.
August 18
Palestinians fired two rockets at Ashkelon
Ashkelon
Ashkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
; at least one of them was intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system. The Popular Resistance Committees
Popular Resistance Committees
The Popular Resistance Committees are a coalition of various armed Palestinian factions that oppose the conciliatory approach adopted by the Palestinian Authority and Fatah towards Israel...
claimed responsibility. Later, two more rockets fired at Ashkelon were intercepted by Iron Dome.
August 19
Palestinians terrorists fired 17 rockets and several mortars at Israel. Responsibility for various attacks was claimed by the Popular Resistance Committees
Popular Resistance Committees
The Popular Resistance Committees are a coalition of various armed Palestinian factions that oppose the conciliatory approach adopted by the Palestinian Authority and Fatah towards Israel...
and Fatah
Fatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
's Al Aqsa Brigades and al-Mujahideen Brigades. The streets in Beersheba
Beersheba
Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
were said to be empty for fear of rockets. Details of some of the attacks:
- In the morning, a rocket fired at a Jewish religious seminaryYeshivaYeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
in Ashdod injured 10 people, two of them seriously. Several blocks away, a Grad rocket landed inside a synagogueSynagogueA synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
while worshipers were praying, but failed to explode. There were no injuries. The synagogue was partially demolished in order to clear the rocket. The al-QaedaAl-QaedaAl-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
-affiliated Abdullah Azzam Brigades claimed responsibility for the Grad attacks, saying they were a response to Israel's targeting of the Popular Resistance CommitteesPopular Resistance CommitteesThe Popular Resistance Committees are a coalition of various armed Palestinian factions that oppose the conciliatory approach adopted by the Palestinian Authority and Fatah towards Israel...
leadership the previous day. - Around 4 pm, two Grad rockets exploded between Kiryat Malachi, GederaGedera-External links:** *...
and Gan Yavneh. One of the rockets started a fire, damaging a building. - Around 5 pm, a Qassam rocket hit the Eshkol Regional CouncilEshkol Regional CouncilThe Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. - Around 6:20 pm, two rockets hit Ashdod and the Sdot Negev Regional CouncilSdot Negev Regional CouncilSdot Negev Regional Council , formerly known as Azata Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev desert in the South District of Israel. Established in 1951, it covers two kibbutzim, 12 moshavim and two communal settlements...
. No injuries or damage were reported. - In the evening, a Qassam rocket landed near a kibbutz in the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council.
- In the evening, two mortar shells hit the Eshkol Regional CouncilEshkol Regional CouncilThe Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. - After nightfall, two rockets hit the Eshkol Regional CouncilEshkol Regional CouncilThe Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries or damage were reported. - Around 10 pm, a Grad rocket fired at AshkelonAshkelonAshkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
was intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system.
Israel responded with airstrikes on four targets in the Gaza Strip, killing senior Popular Resistance Committees
Popular Resistance Committees
The Popular Resistance Committees are a coalition of various armed Palestinian factions that oppose the conciliatory approach adopted by the Palestinian Authority and Fatah towards Israel...
commander Samed Abdul Mu'ty Abed as he was on his motorcycle.
August 20
As Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
announced it would renew attacks on Israelis, Palestinians fired 64 rockets at Israel. The projectiles reached Ashdod, Ashkelon
Ashkelon
Ashkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
, Beersheba
Beersheba
Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
and Ofakim, forcing more than half a million Israelis into bomb shelters. A Grad rocket fired at Beersheba killed 38-year-old Yossi Shoshan of Ofakim, who was on his way to ensure the safety of his 9-month pregnant wife. Many others were injured in Beersheba, Ashdod and Ofakim, including a 4-month-old baby. Details of some of the attacks:
- Around 4 am, two rockets hit the Eshkol Regional CouncilEshkol Regional CouncilThe Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
. No injuries or damage were reported. Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility. - Two rockets fired from the northern Gaza Strip hit the outskirts of Ashdod, seriously injuring three Palestinian aliens working in the local industrial zone. The three were rushed to Kaplan Medical CenterKaplan Medical CenterThe Kaplan Medical Center is a hospital in Rehovot, Israel, located in the south of the city next to the Bilu Junction. In 2001, the hospital had 625 beds and in May 2007 was the tenth largest hospital in Israel. It serves the entire northern Shephelah region, between Rehovot and Ashdod and...
for treatment. Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility. - Around 8:30 am, a rocket fired from the northern Gaza Strip hit an open area in the Be'er Tuvia Regional CouncilBe'er Tuvia Regional CouncilBe'er Tuvia Regional Council , is a regional council in the southern Coastal Plain region in Israel.It borders Yoav and Nahal Sorek regional councils in the east; Hof Ashkelon regional council, the Mediterranean Sea, the city of Ashdod and Gan Yavne local council in the west; Gederot, Hevel Yavne...
. No injuries or damage were reported. Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility. - Around 9 am, a Grad rocket landed in the Bnei Shimon Regional CouncilBnei Shimon Regional CouncilThe Bnei Shimon Regional Council , is a regional council in the northern Negev in the south of Israel. Most of its territory lies north of Beersheba and the rest bounds Beersheba on the west and east sides as well. The eastern border of this territory straddles the Green Line.There are 13...
just north of BeershebaBeershebaBeersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
, triggering the Color Red alarm. Eight people suffered light injuries and shockAcute stress reactionAcute stress reaction is a psychological condition arising in response to a terrifying or traumatic event...
. The Popular Resistance CommitteesPopular Resistance CommitteesThe Popular Resistance Committees are a coalition of various armed Palestinian factions that oppose the conciliatory approach adopted by the Palestinian Authority and Fatah towards Israel...
claimed responsibility. - A rocket fired at the Lachish Regional Council at noon exploded on a section of Highway 35Highway 35 (Israel)Highway 35 is a highway in south-central Israel. It runs roughly from west to east. It begins in Ashkelon, passes through the Lakhish region and Kiryat Gat, crosses the Green Line and terminates at a junction with Highway 60 near Hebron. Highway 35 is 58 km long.-Junctions and interchanges on...
, from Ashkelon to Kiryat Gat, severely damaging it. The highway was closed to traffic. - Just after noon, two Qassam rockets hit the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional CouncilSha'ar HaNegev Regional CouncilThe Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council , is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The Regional Council's territory lies midway between Beersheba and Ashkelon, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip. The eastern border abuts Bnei Shimon...
, one landing in a kibbutzKibbutzA kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
and the other in an open area. No injuries or damage were reported. - A rocket fired at AshkelonAshkelonAshkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
was intercepted by Iron DomeIron DomeIron Dome is a mobile air defense system in development by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems designed to intercept short-range rockets and artillery shells. The system was created as a defensive countermeasure to the rocket threat against Israel's civilian population on its northern and southern...
. - Four mortar shells were fired at the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported.
- A Qassam rocket was fired at the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional CouncilSha'ar HaNegev Regional CouncilThe Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council , is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The Regional Council's territory lies midway between Beersheba and Ashkelon, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip. The eastern border abuts Bnei Shimon...
and a mortar was fired at the Eshkol Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported. - Two mortar shells were fired at the Eshkol Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported.
- Five mortar shells were fired at the Eshkol Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported.
- A mortar shell was fired at the Eshkol Regional Council.
- A Grad rocket fired at BeershebaBeershebaBeersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
was intercepted by Iron DomeIron DomeIron Dome is a mobile air defense system in development by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems designed to intercept short-range rockets and artillery shells. The system was created as a defensive countermeasure to the rocket threat against Israel's civilian population on its northern and southern...
. The Popular Resistance CommitteesPopular Resistance CommitteesThe Popular Resistance Committees are a coalition of various armed Palestinian factions that oppose the conciliatory approach adopted by the Palestinian Authority and Fatah towards Israel...
claimed responsibility. - Five additional mortar shells were fired at the Eshkol Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported.
- Grad rockets were fired at Ofakim. One rocket hit a home, wounding a 4-month-old baby, a 9-year-old child, and a 20-year-old man. HamasHamasHamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
claimed responsibility. - A barrage of Grad rockets hit BeershebaBeershebaBeersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
, killing one person and injuring at least ten, four of them seriously. The Popular Resistance CommitteesPopular Resistance CommitteesThe Popular Resistance Committees are a coalition of various armed Palestinian factions that oppose the conciliatory approach adopted by the Palestinian Authority and Fatah towards Israel...
claimed responsibility. - Two Qassam rockets hit the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional CouncilSha'ar HaNegev Regional CouncilThe Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council , is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The Regional Council's territory lies midway between Beersheba and Ashkelon, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip. The eastern border abuts Bnei Shimon...
. - A Qassam rocket fired at Israel exploded within the Gaza Strip.
August 21
- In the morning, two mortar shells were fired at the Eshkol Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported.
- In the morning, a Qassam rocket hit the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported.
- In the morning, three Grad rockets fired at Ashkelon were intercepted by Iron DomeIron DomeIron Dome is a mobile air defense system in development by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems designed to intercept short-range rockets and artillery shells. The system was created as a defensive countermeasure to the rocket threat against Israel's civilian population on its northern and southern...
. - In the morning, two Grad rockets were fired at Beersheba. One was intercepted by Iron DomeIron DomeIron Dome is a mobile air defense system in development by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems designed to intercept short-range rockets and artillery shells. The system was created as a defensive countermeasure to the rocket threat against Israel's civilian population on its northern and southern...
; the other fell in an open area near the city. No injuries or damage were reported. - In the morning, a rocket hit a school in Beersheba, damaging it. No injuries were reported.
- In the morning, two rockets were fired at the Beersheba region. No injuries or damage were reported.
- Shortly before noon, three rockets hit near Ashkelon. No injuries or damage were reported.
- Shortly after noon, a rocket was fired at the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council. No injuries were reported.
- During the evening, a Qassam rocket was fired at Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council. No injuries were reported.
- Though a ceasefire has been declared starting 09:00 P.M. that night, two rockets were fired after that time. No injures were reported.
August 22
- During night, a rocket was fired at the city of Ashkelon and was intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system.
- Another rocket was fired early morning at Eshkol Regional Council. No injuries were reported.
- At night, a Qassam rocket was fired at Ashkelon and landed in an open area. No injuries were reported.
- A rocket fired at Hof Ashkelon Regional Council landed near greenhouses and started a fire. No injuries were reported.
- Another rocket landed in Hof Ashkelon Regional Council just before midnight.
August 24
Palestinians fired more than 20 rockets on Israeli communities. Grad rockets fell on the cities of Beersheba
Beersheba
Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
, Ashkelon
Ashkelon
Ashkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
and Ofakim, injuring a 9-month-old baby. Israel responded with airstrikes, killing a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative invlolved in a recent terrorist shooting attack on Israel.
August 25
Palestinians fired at least 15 rockets and mortars at Israel. Details of the attacks:
- Five Qassam rockets were fired at the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported.
- Four Qassam rockets were fired at the Eshkol Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported.
- A Grad rocket fell in an open area near Ashkelon, without causing injuries or damage.
- A Palestinian mortar shell caused extensive damage to the Erez Crossing TerminalErez CrossingThe Erez Crossing is a pedestrian/cargo terminal on the Israeli Gaza Strip barrier. It is located in the northern end of the Gaza Strip, on the border with Israel.It is part of a complex formerly including the Erez Industrial Park....
, which is frequently used by Palestinians to enter Israel for medical treatments.
Israel responded with airstrikes on several targets in the Gaza Strip, killing two Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants involved in the attack against the Erez Crossing Terminal.
August 26
At about 3 pm, Palestinians fired a Grad rocket at Ashkelon
Ashkelon
Ashkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
, despite a ceasefire announced by Palestinian Islamic Jihad the previous day. Shortly after 10 pm, two Qassam rockets were fired at the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council
Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
The Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council , is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The Regional Council's territory lies midway between Beersheba and Ashkelon, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip. The eastern border abuts Bnei Shimon...
. No injuries were reported in either incident. The leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine is a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist organisation founded in 1967. It has consistently been the second-largest of the groups forming the Palestine Liberation Organization , the largest being Fatah...
claimed responsibility for two attacks on Ashkelon.
August 27
A Qassam rocket fell in the Negev. No injuries or damage were reported.
August 28
A Grad rocket fired was fired at Hatzerim
Hatzerim
Hatzerim is a kibbutz located 8 kilometers west of Beersheba in the Negev desert in Israel. It is named after the Bible , mentionning a site nearby: "the Avvites who lived in farmyards as far as Gaza".-History:...
in the Bnei Shimon Regional Council
Bnei Shimon Regional Council
The Bnei Shimon Regional Council , is a regional council in the northern Negev in the south of Israel. Most of its territory lies north of Beersheba and the rest bounds Beersheba on the west and east sides as well. The eastern border of this territory straddles the Green Line.There are 13...
, near Beersheba
Beersheba
Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
. After nightfall, a Qassam rocket was fired at the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council
Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
The Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council , is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The Regional Council's territory lies midway between Beersheba and Ashkelon, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip. The eastern border abuts Bnei Shimon...
. No injures were reported in either attack. Tawhid wal-Jihad claimed responsibility for both.
August 29
A Qassam rocket was fired at the Eshkol Regional Council. No injures or damage were reported. Tawhid wal-Jihad claimed responsibility.
August 31
Two Qassam rockets hit the Eshkol Regional Council. No injures or damage were reported.
September
September 5A rocket fell in an open area in the western Negev. There were no casualties or damage.
September 29
A rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit the Sha’ar Hanegev Regional Council, causing damage to an abandoned building. In response, an IAF aircraft targeted a terror activity site in the central Gaza Strip overnight. A direct hit was confirmed.
September 30
IAF aircraft identified a squad of terrorists preparing to launch rockets at Israel from the northern Gaza Strip, and thwarted the attempt by firing at them. A hit was confirmed.
October
According to the Israel Security Agency's monthly summary, Palestinians fired 52 rockets and 6 mortar shells at Israel in 43 separate attacks during October.October 4
Two Grad rockets were fired from northern Gaza towards Israel. One rocket exploded in an open field in the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council while the second one fell in Palestinian territory. No injuries or damage were reported.
October 11
A Qassam rocket was fired from the northern Gaza Strip and exploded near the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council. No injuries were reported but a few green houses sustained damages.
October 26
A Grad rocket fired from Gaza landed in an open territory in the Be'er Tuvia Regional Council
Be'er Tuvia Regional Council
Be'er Tuvia Regional Council , is a regional council in the southern Coastal Plain region in Israel.It borders Yoav and Nahal Sorek regional councils in the east; Hof Ashkelon regional council, the Mediterranean Sea, the city of Ashdod and Gan Yavne local council in the west; Gederot, Hevel Yavne...
on Wednesday night. There were no casualties or damage, but several people suffered shock. A Color Red siren was heard in several communities including Ashdod, Kiryat Malachi, Rehovot, Ness Ziona and Gan Yavne. Israeli Air Force responded by attacking three terror activity sites and a weapons storage facility in Gaza. Direct hits were confirmed.
October 29
On Saturday, an Israeli aircraft targeted a terrorist squad in southern Gaza Strip that was preparing to launch long-range rockets. Five Islamic Jihad
Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine
The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine known in the West as simply Palestinian Islamic Jihad , is a small Palestinian militant organization. The group has been labelled as a terrorist group by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Australia and Israel...
militants were killed, including a senior commander of the al-Quds Brigades. The squad was responsible for the firing of the Grad rocket on Wednesday.
In response, more than 24 rockets were fired at Israel:
- Four rockets were fired at Ashdod, hitting near a residental building and injuring a man.
- A rocket was fired at Gav Yavne, injuring a 50 years old man in his lower limbs.
- Two mortar shells were fired at Eshkol Regional Council.
- A mortal shell was fired at Bnei Shimon Regional Council.
- A rocket exploded in Merhavim Regional Council.
- A rocket fired at Be'er Sheba was intercepted by the Iron DomeIron DomeIron Dome is a mobile air defense system in development by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems designed to intercept short-range rockets and artillery shells. The system was created as a defensive countermeasure to the rocket threat against Israel's civilian population on its northern and southern...
Defense system. - A rocket hit the city of Ashkelon.
- Two mortar shells hit Eshkol Regional Council.
- One rocket hit an apartment building in Ashkelon, killing a 56 year-old civilian.
Israel carried out additional airstrikes, hitting another squad preparing to fire rockets. Other four Islamic Jihad militants were killed.
October 30
Twelve rockets were fired into Israel since midnight. None of them caused casualties. Two rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system. Israel responded with airstrikes on several terror activity sites in Gaza, including at least three rocket-launching platforms, tunnels and a terrorist squad prepared to launch rockets, killing one DFLP militant.
October 31
A terrorist squad that fired a Qassam rocket at Israel from southern Gaza Strip was targeted by an IAF aircraft. A direct hit was confirmed. Two militants belonging to al-Ahrar, a minor split of Fatah
Fatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
, were killed in the strike. In the evening, Gazan militants fired five rockets at southern Israel. Two landed near Beersheba
Beersheba
Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
, one in Sderot
Sderot
Sderot is a western Negev city in the Southern District of Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 20,700. The city has been an ongoing target of Qassam rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip...
and one in the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
The Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council , is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The Regional Council's territory lies midway between Beersheba and Ashkelon, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip. The eastern border abuts Bnei Shimon...
, while a fifth launched against Beersheba was successfully intercepted by the Iron Dome
Iron Dome
Iron Dome is a mobile air defense system in development by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems designed to intercept short-range rockets and artillery shells. The system was created as a defensive countermeasure to the rocket threat against Israel's civilian population on its northern and southern...
defense system. No casualties were reported.
November
November 1In the evening, a rocket launched from Gaza fell in the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
, without causing injuries or damage.
November 4
Palestinian militants fired a rocket into southern Israel, causing no injuries or damage.
November 5
An Israeli aircraft attacked Palestinian gunmen who were preparing to fire a rocket into Israel, killing one Islamic Jihad militant and injuring two.
November 6
Two rockets fired from Gaza exploded in open areas in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council
Hof Ashkelon Regional Council
Hof Ashkelon Regional Council is a regional council in the Southern District of Israel.The council is bordered to the north by Be'er Tuvia Regional Council, to the east by the Be'er Tuvia, Lakhish, Shafir and Yoav Regional Councils, to the south by Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council and the Gaza...
. The first rocket didn't cause injuries or damage, while the second one caused shrapnel wounds to a Thai foreign worker.
November 9
Palestinian militants fired two rockets which landed in the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
The Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council , is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The Regional Council's territory lies midway between Beersheba and Ashkelon, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip. The eastern border abuts Bnei Shimon...
. No injuries or damage were reported.
November 10
A rocket was fired at night against southern Israel, causing no injuries. Israel retaliated with an airstrike against a training post belonging to Gaza militants north of Khan Yunis
Khan Yunis
Khan Yunis - often spelt Khan Younis or Khan Yunnis - is a city and adjacent refugee camp in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics the city, its refugee camp, and its immediate surroundings had a total population of 180,000 in 2006...
.
November 13
Gaza militants fired a Qassam rocket at the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
The Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council , is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The Regional Council's territory lies midway between Beersheba and Ashkelon, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip. The eastern border abuts Bnei Shimon...
, causing no injuries or damage. In response, Israeli Air Force struck a naval police post in the northern part of Gaza City, leaving one Palestinian dead and four wounded.
November 15
Gaza terrorists launched two Qassam rockets at Israeli communities in the western Negev. One rocket hit a local kindergarten. There were no physical injuries in the attack, but the kindergarten was badly damaged. The other rocket exploded in an open area, causing no injuries or property damage. In response, overnight Israel struck terror targets in northern Gaza. Direct hits were recorded on a terror tunnel and on an additional center of terrorist activity.
November 26
A rocket fired from Gaza hit the Eshkol Regional Council
Eshkol Regional Council
The Eshcol Regional Council is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The regional council's territory lies midway between Ashkelon and Beersheba, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip while the eastern border abuts the territory of the Bnei Shimon Regional...
, causing no injuries or damage. In response, Israeli aircraft struck two terror activity sites in southern and central Gaza Strip.
External links
- Gaza: Stop Rocket Attacks Against Israel Civilians, Human Rights WatchHuman Rights WatchHuman Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
, 1 March 2011