Hundreds of Hamas Rockets Have Been Falling in Gaza
August 5, 2014 | Glen Falkenstein
Many commentators discussing the recent conflict in Gaza do not realise that Hamas’ indiscriminate rocket fire has meant that residents of Gaza, as well as Israelis, have been affected by Hamas’ aggression. A sizeable minority of all the rockets that terrorist groups launched from Gaza at Israel never make it – and instead land inside the crowded Gaza Strip, where they can frequently cause considerable damage, deaths and injuries.
What happened in Shujaiyeh?
August 4, 2014 | Or Avi Guy
Ruth Pollard’s report from Gaza on the Age (“Israel calls up 16,000 reservists after school hit,” 1 Aug.) was accompanied by a UN satellite image of Shujaiyeh. The image highlighted large areas of destroyed structures. However, reports in Israeli media about Shujaiyeh provide important insight and context about the scope of destruction.
So what did happen in Shujaiyeh?
Tunnels provide yet more evidence of Hamas’ use of ostensibly civilian buildings for military purposes
August 1, 2014 | Robert Ellenhorn
As the war in Gaza moves into its fourth week, additional information about Hamas’ extensive network of underground tunnels is beginning to surface. One thing that has become increasingly clear is that, in keeping with Hamas practice, the entrances to many tunnels are located in clinics, homes, and mosques (Some evidence of this Hamas policy was discussed by Sharyn Mittelman in a previous post). Meanwhile my post yesterday contained additional video evidence of sniper fire and rocket storage at Gaza’s al-Wafa hospital – which is also alleged to have contained a terror tunnel complete with fake IDF uniforms to carry out terror attacks.
A Demilitarised Gaza?/ Hamas’ capabilities
August 1, 2014
With a 72-hour humanitarian ceasefire coming into effect in Gaza a couple of hours ago, along with plans to spend the three days on intensive efforts in Cairo to negotiate something more lasting, this Update focuses on the prospects and modalities of Israel’s key demand for the conflict’s outcome, Gaza’s demilitarisation – a policy also supported in principle both by US President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry. It also includes some new valuable background material on Hamas’ military capabilities and tactics in this conflict so far.
Hamas’ Terror Tunnels: A Game Changer in “Operation Protective Edge”
July 30, 2014 | Glen Falkenstein
Since Israel began its ground operation in Gaza as part of “Operation Protective Edge,” the extent of Hamas’ tunnel network stretching from Gaza into Israel has quite literally been exposed by the IDF. The vast network was built by Hamas to enter Israel and carry out terror attacks, and its extent has reportedly shocked both Israeli security analysts and the general public. It has now become one of Israel’s primary goals in the current conflict to see the tunnels found and destroyed.
Colin Rubenstein interviewed by Fairfax Media on Gaza war [Video]
July 29, 2014
AIJAC Executive Director Dr. Colin Rubenstein was interviewed on July 28 by Fairfax Media on the Gaza conflict.
More evidence Gaza casualty figures are unreliable
July 29, 2014 | Or Avi Guy
My recent blog post pointed out how casualty data from Gaza is unreliable, noting that the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry is the main source of information about casualties in Gaza. In yet more evidence that commonly employed casualty claims are unreliable, it has now been shown that the al Jazeera casualty list includes numerous duplicate names.
Hamas’ other terror tactic: intimidating foreign journalists
July 28, 2014 | Gabrielle Debinski
As the conflict between Israel and Hamas enters its third week, foreign journalists are increasingly flocking to the region, reporting from both Gaza and within Israel. In addition, more and more accounts of intimidation and abuse towards foreign journalists stationed in the Strip, both via social media as well as from Hamas operatives on the ground, are emerging.
In recent weeks several foreign journalists have released details of threats, intimidation and blackmail directed against them in the wake of their reporting on the reality as they see it in Gaza. Much of this abuse has stemmed from journalists’ coverage of Hamas’ tactic of firing rockets into Israel from civilian institutions or highly populated civilian areas. At the same time, reports relating to Hamas’ use of Gaza’s Shifa hospital – the largest and most important in the Gaza Strip – as a ‘hotbed’ for storing weapons and launching rockets has also elicited intimidation from Hamas operatives in Gaza – as well as threats and abuse from pro-Palestinian advocates online.
Hamas’ targeting of Ben Gurion airport has large implications
July 24, 2014 | Robert Ellenhorn
Reports emerged on Wednesday of a Hamas rocket, fired into Israel that landed within 2 kilometres or so of Israel’s Ben Gurion International airport. This prompted a US Federal Aviation Association (FAA) ban on American based airlines flying to the airport just outside of Tel Aviv as well as the cancellation of flights by other international airlines. Air traffic to and from Israel was reduced almost exclusively to El-Al flights, which continued operating – leaving thousands of travellers stranded. While the FAA ban was lifted today, the closure has both immediate and longer-term implications.
