
The PIJ's announcement of the deaths of Tayseer al-Jaabari and Khaled Mansour (Jerusalem Brigades website, August 8, 2022).

Tayseer al-Jaabari (left) and Khaled Mansour
(al-Jazeera, August 6, 2022).

Notice issued by the PIJ’s military wing listing the names of the fatalities (Telegram channel of the PIJ’s military wing, August 8, 2022)
Overview
- During the three days of Operation Breaking Dawn (August 5-7, 2022), 1,175 rockets were fired at Israel, with around 990 landing in Israeli territory. The Iron Dome aerial defense system intercepted about 450 rockets with a 97% rate of success. Around 200 rockets fell in the Gaza Strip or in the Mediterranean Sea. During the operation, the IDF, using precision weaponry, carried out 170 attacks against Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist targets. The PIJ commanders of the northern and southern sectors were eliminated in targeted killings and several other senior officials were killed. The IDF airstrike targets included a tunnel, rocket and mortar launching pads, squads that were en route to launch rockets, weapons depots, facilities for manufacturing weapons, a military compound that was used by the PIJ’s naval force (Israeli media based on an Israel Air Force briefing; Maariv; Walla; Yedioth Ahronoth, August 9, 2022)
- During the operation in the Gaza Strip, 49 Palestinians were killed in IDF airstrikes and as a result of PIJ rocket misfires.
- The ITIC examination into the identity of the 49 fatalities distinguished between 38 fatalities resulting from IDF strikes and 11 resulting from rocket misfires. Of the 38 fatalities from IDF strikes, 20 (52%) were identified as terrorist operatives, 12 (31%) were identified as operatives of the PIJ’s military wing, including the two senior operatives who were eliminated in targeted killings, one Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) operative, four Hamas operatives and three Fatah operatives (it is unclear how involved the Hamas and Fatah operatives were involved in the military activity).
- A total of 18 women and children under the age of 16 were killed in the operation. Four women and 10 children were killed in IDF airstrikes, and four children were killed as a result of misfires.
Breakdown of the Data
- Methodology: In the absence of a single orderly list of the names of the fatalities, the ITIC relied on a variety of Palestinian sources, including the ministry of health in Gaza, publications issued by Palestinian civil society organizations including the al-Mezan Center for Human Rights (www.mezan.org); the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (www.pchrgaza.org); and Defense for Children International – Palestine. The ITIC researchers also used data published by the Wafa News Agency, the websites of the military wings of the terrorist organizations, Arab media outlets, social media and more. Information published by the IDF spokesperson was also used.
- Data about the Palestinian fatalities in the operation:
- The latest update from the ministry of health in Ramallah and Dr. Ashraf al-Qidra, spokesman for the ministry of health in Gaza, was published on August 7, 2022 at around 23:30, immediately after the ceasefire went into effect. According to the report, 44 Palestinians were killed in the operation, including four women and 15 children.[1] The ministry of health did not distinguish between those killed in IDF airstrikes and those killed as a result of rocket misfires.

Infographic showing the latest update from the ministry of health (Twitter account of the spokesperson of the Health Ministry in Gaza, Dr. Ashraf al-Qidra, August 8, 2022)
- On August 8, 2022, the PIJ’s military-terrorist wing said in a statement the 12 operatives of the wing were killed in the operation, including its two senior commanders (Telegram channel of the PIJ’s military wing, August 8, 2022). .

Notice issued by the PIJ’s military wing listing the names of the fatalities
(Telegram channel of the PIJ’s military wing, August 8, 2022)
-
- During the operation, there were reports of at least three incidents of Palestinian civilians who were killed by rockets that were misfired and landed in the Gaza Strip. A total of 11 people were reportedly killed in the incidents, including women and children. Initially, the Palestinians tried to blame their deaths on Israel and use them for propaganda purposes, but an investigation revealed that the PIJ was responsible for their deaths.
- A policeman was killed on August 7, 2022 in an airstrike in central Gaza City, and his death, which was not reported immediately, should be added to the total. On August 8, 2022, the death of 10-year-old Hanin Walid Abu Qaida was reported. She died of injuries sustained in an Israeli airstrike on a vehicle near Beit Hanoun (Al-Quds, August 8, 2022; Quds Press, August 8, 2022)[2].
- On August 9, 2022, the Palestinians published the names of two more people killed in the airstrike on August 7, 2022 in central Gaza. They may have died of their injuries.
- On August 10, 2022, the Palestinians published the name of a Fatah operative killed in the airstrike on Beit Hanoun on August 6, 2022.
- The ITIC regarding examination into the identities of the 49 fatalities distinguished between 38 fatalities resulting from IDF strikes and 11 resulting from rocket misfires. Of the 38 fatalities from IDF strikes, 20 (52%) were identified as terrorist operatives, 12 (31%) were identified as operatives of the PIJ’s military wing, including the two senior operatives who were eliminated in targeted killings, one DFLP operative, four Hamas operatives and three Fatah operatives (it is unclear how involved the Hamas and Fatah operatives were in the military activity).
- A total of 18 women and children under the age of 16 were killed. Four women and 10 children were killed in IDF airstrikes, and four children were killed as a result of failed launches.
Fatalities in IDF airstrikes by organizational affiliation
- Of the 11 fatalities from failed launches, four were found to be operatives of terrorist organizations (three Fatah operatives and one operative from Hamas’ military wing) who apparently did not take an active part in the fighting.
Fatalities as a result of failed launches by organizational affiliation
[1] https://www.facebook.com
https://twitter.com
[2] https://www.alquds.com
https://www.qudspress.com
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