Operation Protective Edge – Update No. 22 (As of 1200 hours, August 10, 2014)

Overview of the Situation

1.   After theofficial end of the 72-hour ceasefire the Palestinian terrorist organizations resumed firing rockets and mortar shells into Israeli territory. Most of the rocket fire targeted the western Negev, but rockets also hit Beersheba and Ashqelon (45 rocket hits on August 8, 30 on August 9, rockets targeted the western Negev and Ashqelon on August 10).

2.   The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and several small terrorist organizations claimed responsibility for the rocket and mortar shell fire. In ITIC assessment the attacks were carried out with the permission and/or encouragement of Hamas, part of its policy to exert pressure on Israel through controlled shelling. At the same time, Hamas spokesmen told the media that Hamas was prepared to renew its military campaign if Israel did not meet its demands. Israel, according to the Israeli media, made it clear to Egypt that it would not return its delegation to the negotiations until the rocket fire ceased. (Note: At midnight on August 12, 2014, another 72-hour ceasefire went into effect, as Israel and the Palestinians complied with the Egyptian request.)

IDF Activity

Overview

3.   At 0800 hours on August 8, 2014, the 72-hour ceasefire ended. At 0400 hours, four hours before the ceasefire's official end, two mortar shells were fired into Israeli territory and exploded in open areas in the western Negev. At 0800 hours massive rocket and mortar shell fire into Israeli territory was renewed. Most of the attacks targeted the communities near the Gaza Strip border, but rockets also fell in Beersheba, Ashqelon and Sderot.

4.   In response to the renewed rocket attacks, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) attacked terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip. Some of the residents of the communities bordering the Gaza Strip who had decided to return home when the ceasefire was declared changed their minds and did not return. Israel made it clear to Egypt that it would not send its delegation back to the negotiations until the rocket fire ceased.

5.   At the beginning of the government meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu said "Israel will not negotiate under fire and Israel will continue to take all action in order to change the current reality and bring quiet to all of its citizens" (Israeli prime minister's website, August 10, 2014).^[1]

IDF Response to the Rocket Fire

6.   In response to the rocket and mortar shell fire attacking Israel IAF aircraft attacked more than 100 terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip. A number of targets were attacked from the sea (IDF Spokesman):

1)     On August 9, 2014, more than 60 terrorist targets were attacked, including terrorist operatives who were engaged in firing rockets into Israel.

2)     On August 8, 2014, IAF aircraft attacked approximately 50 terrorist targets, including terrorist operatives, concealed rocket launchers, command and control facilities and military compounds.

Left: Attack on a terrorist target in the Gaza Strip (IDF Spokesman, August 10, 2014) Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D683rBiPvFk for the video. Right: Attack on the Yasser Arafat heliport in the Ansar compound in Gaza City  (Wafa.ps, August 9, 2014).

Left: Attack on a rocket launcher near a mosque (IDF Spokesman, August 10, 2014) Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdA34YKNWj0 for the video. Right: Attack on the Al-Qassam mosque (Wafa.ps, August 9, 2014).

Rocket Fire into Israeli Territory

7.   At 0800 hours on the morning of August 8, 2014, a few minutes before the ceasefire ended, the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip resumed firing rockets into Israeli territory. Most of the rockets attacked the communities in the western Negev, especially those close to the Gaza Strip, but rockets also hit Beersheba, Ashqelon and Sderot. Since the end of the ceasefire 75 rocket hits have been identified in Israeli territory, most of them in the western Negev. A similar number of mortar shells have been fired at the communities close to the Gaza Strip. Two Israelis were injured by mortar shell fire and property damage was reported.

8.   Since the beginning of the operation 2,814 rocket hits have been identified in Israeli territory, 1,629 since the beginning of the ground operation. Since the ceasefire ended, 75 rocket hits have been identified.

Daily Distribution of Rocket Hits in Israeli Territory during Operation Protective Edge^[2]

Claims of Responsibility

9.   The PIJ, the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) and a number of small terrorist organizations all claimed responsibility for the rockets fired after the end of the ceasefire. While Hamas did not claim responsibility for rocket fire, it did nothing to prevent it. Hamas spokesman Musheir al-Masri claimed Hamas was not responsible for rocket fire attacking Israel. He did claim, however, that the Palestinian organizations were united during the lull as they were during the fighting (Al-Mayadeen TV, Lebanon, August 9, 2014).

10.          On the evening of August 7, 2014, the Palestinian media reported the deaths of four operatives from Hamas' military-terrorist wing, the result of an IED that exploded in eastern Jabaliya. According to the report, the four were killed while working with an IED in preparation for renewing the fighting in the Gaza Strip if the negotiations in Cairo failed (Paltimes.net, Alresala.net website, August 7, 2014).

The Gazan Population

Gazan Civilians

11.          According to UNRWA spokesman Chris Gunness,238,097 Gazans are still housed in 90 UNRWA shelters. He said that 16,543 Gazans had already left the shelters (Twitter account of Chris Gunness, August 9, 2014). There are also 30,000 Gazans housed in government schools. UNRWA proved them with food, water and equipment (UNRWA Twitter account, August 9, 2014).

Aid Convoys to the Gaza Strip

12.  In light of the situation in the Gaza Strip, aid convoys are being sent from all over the globe, as well as funds for the population and for rebuilding the Gaza Strip:

1)  Britain – The British secretary for international development announced that because of the pressing need for food and medical equipment in the Gaza Strip, Britain had decided to reinstitute its emergency management plan to support the Gazans.

2)  Turkey – The Turkish Red Crescent said in a statement that it had sent 3,000 packages of food to the Gaza Strip, thousands of beds and water for the families housed in UN installations (Aa.com.tr, August 9, 2014).

3)  The UAE – A delegation of the UAE's Red Crescent arrived in the Gaza Strip with seven truckloads of food, medical equipment and clothing. The UAE also set up a field hospital in the Gaza Strip to treat the wounded (Maannews.net, August 9, 2014).

4)  The Palestinian Authority (PA) – A campaign was launched in the cities in the PA to aid the Gaza Strip. Donations of equipment, food and money were accepted (Wafa.ps, August 9, 2014).

The Crossings – Update

The Kerem Shalom Crossing

13.          It was reported that after two rockets fell near the Kerem Shalom crossing on the morning of August 10, 2014, all activity stopped and the crossing was closed (Maannews.net, August 10, 2014). It was later reopened, but another rocket fell near the crossing in the early afternoon and it was closed again.

The Rafah Crossing

14.          In light of the renewed fighting in the Gaza Strip, the Egyptian authorities raised the alert level along the Egyptian-Gazan border, including the area around the Rafah crossing, where they positioned Egyptian army armored vehicles (Shorouknews.com, August 8, 2014). However, the Rafah crossing was open for the exit of wounded Gazans seeking medical treatment in Egyptian hospitals and for the entrance of medical equipment into the Gaza Strip (Youm7.com, August 8, 2014).

Judea and Samaria

Demonstrations and Other Events in Support of the Gaza Strip

15.          Over the weekend, especially after the Friday prayer, many demonstrations and marches were held in Judea and Samaria in support of the Gaza Strip. Hamas organized most of the demonstrations. Green Hamas-affiliated flags and signs in support of the "resistance" [i.e., terrorist organizations] were carried. Some of the demonstrations turned into riots and violent confrontations with the Israeli security forces, resulting in the deaths of two Palestinians, one in Hebron and one in Ramallah. Several dozen rioters were wounded.

16.          Sa'ad Abu al-Baha, a senior Hamas figure in Judea and Samaria, claimed that the objective of the events was to publicize the Palestinians' demands and to show that the Palestinian people were united. He claimed he wanted to tell the Palestinian delegation in Cairo that the Palestinian people were behind them and that they should not return without having the Palestinian's demands met (Al-Aqsa TV, August 8, 2014).

Negotiations for a Ceasefire

17.          In view of the renewal of the rocket fire, Israeli recalled its delegation from Egypt. Israel made it clear that its negotiators would not return to Cairo until the rocket fire ceased. The Egyptians tried to arrange a ceasefire to make it possible to renew the negotiations.

18.          Sources within Hamas and the other terrorist organizations blamed Israel for the lack of progress in the talks, claiming that was why the rocket fire had been renewed. Despite the continuing rocket fire and the recall of the Israeli delegation, the Palestinian delegation remained in Cairo. According to Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri, they were still waiting for the Israel's response (Alquds.com, August 9, 2014).

The Palestinian Authority

19.          Azzam al-Ahmad, a member of Fatah's Central Committee and head of the Palestinian negotiating team in Cairo, claimed that the Palestinian delegation would not leave Egypt until a final arrangement had been reached. He claimed the Palestinians were not afraid of an escalation but were prepared to continue the negotiations to arrive at an agreement that would lift all manifestations of the siege of the Gaza Strip. He criticized the Israeli delegation for not staying in Egypt for more than a few hours (Maannews.net, Sky News, August 8, 2014).

Hamas

20. Hamas spokesmen said the following:

1)  Musa Abu Marzouq, a member of Hamas' political bureau, claimed that Israel was not genuinely serious about the negotiations, and deliberately rejected and delayed its response to the Palestinians' demands. He claimed the Hamas delegation would not remain in Cairo for long if serious negotiations did not begin within the next 24 hours (Alqudsnews.net, August 9, 2014).

2)  Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri claimed that the Israeli delegation had not related to any one of the Palestinian demands. In addition, the suggestions they received did not contain so much as a reference to lifting the siege, although they did mention opening the Kerem Shalom and Erez crossings, which were open anyway. He accused Israel of delaying tactics and wasting time (Al-Aqsa, August 8, 2014).

3)  Hamas spokesman Musheir al-Masri claimed that Israel had not sufficiently met the Palestinians' demands and was trying to return to the status quo ante. He claimed that if the negotiations failed Hamas would have no choice but to wage another military campaign "more cruel than the last one." He claimed the Palestinian delegation would not negotiate with the Egyptian mediator if the Israeli delegation were not present in Cairo (Al-Mayadeen TV, Lebanon, August 9, 2014).

The PIJ

21.          Senior PIJ figure Khaled al-Batash claimed that Israel was trying to circumvent the legitimate demands of the Palestinian people. He also claimed they had told Egypt that they adhered to their demands and were not prepared to make any concession. He claimed their first demand was the cessation of the [so-called Israeli] aggression and the lifting of the siege. As to the matter of the Rafah crossing, he claimed it was between the Palestinians and Egypt, and that the negotiations with Israel had nothing to do with it (Al-Mayadeen TV, Lebanon, August 8, 2014).

The International Community

22.          International sources condemned the renewal of the rocket fire and called for negotiations to be resumed. A spokesman for the UN secretary general said that "The Secretary-General expresses his deep disappointment that the parties were unable to agree to an extension of the ceasefire in their talks in Cairo” (UN.org, August 8, 2014).

23.          The foreign ministers of Germany, France and Britain issued a joint statement in support of the Egyptian efforts and called on both sides to renew the ceasefire immediately (Website of the French foreign ministry, August 9, 2014).

Prisoner Exchange

24.          A source in the Palestinian delegation claimed that the Hamas representatives insisted that the issue of the exchange of prisoners or bodies be discussed outside the negotiations for a ceasefire. The source claimed the representatives refused to confirm or deny that they had the bodies (Aa.com.tr, August 9, 2014). Muhammad Nizal, a member of Hamas' political bureau, claimed that Hamas was prepared to negotiate about the soldier Hamas had, but not during the current round of negotiations, whose objective was to lift the siege of the Gaza Strip (Alresala.net, August 9, 2014).

The Propaganda and Legal Campaign

Promoting Legal Procedures against Israel

25.          Christophe Oberline, a French physician who visited the Gaza Strip and revealed information about the complaint the Palestinians will lodge with the ICC, said that in the wake of pressure exerted by Western sources Mahmoud Abbas had withdrawn the complaint. He said that the Palestinian foreign minister Riyadh al-Maliki had told the ICC's prosecutor that the complaint had been withdrawn (Safa.ps, August 8, 2014).

26.          Salim al-Saqa, minister of justice in the national consensus government, claimed that his ministry's suit against Israel in the ICC was still in force and had not been withdrawn. He accused international, regional and local agencies of sabotaging the suit and preventing the necessary steps to try Israel from being taken (Alresala.net, August 8, 2014).

Boycotting Israeli Products

27.          The social network campaign in Judea and Samaria to boycott Israeli-made products continues, incited by the war in the Gaza Strip. Calls are heard to buy Palestinian-made or imported products instead, because, it is claimed, the money paid for goods produced in Israel is exploited to buy weapons for the IDF. A letter was distributed in one of the villages in the Qalqiliya district calling for the boycott of Israeli goods and promising discounts to whoever did so (Ghaza al-A'an, August 9, 2014).

28.          Azmi al-Shyoukhi, head of the consumer protection association, claimed that the boycott was one of the weapons of the "resistance." He also threatened that any store owner who did not remove Israeli-made products from his shelves by September 15 would be subject to legal action (PNN TV, August 10, 2014; Facebook page of Ghaza al-A'an, August 7 and 8, 2014).

Left: Israeli products marked as forbidden to buy (Facebook page of Palinfo, August 9, 2014). Right: Letter calling for the boycott of Israeli products and giving discounts to whoever did (Ghaza al-A'an, August 9, 2014).

Posters calling for the boycott of Israel products. Left: "Buying it is up to you," every purchase of an Israeli product returns to the Gaza Strip by means of a missile (Facebook page of Ghaza al-A'an, August 7 and 8, 2014). Middle: "Don't support the war against Gaza" (Facebook page of the Palestine Information Network, August 10, 2014). Right: "You support the Israeli army of occupation by buying [Israeli-made] products" (Facebook page of the Islamic Bloc of Al-Najah University, August 8, 2014).

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