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Ad Hoc Studies

Operation Shield and Arrow in the Gaza Strip (Updated to 4 p.m., May 11, 2023)

The IDF continued Operation Shield and Arrow for the third day, attacking Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) targets in the Gaza Strip. On the afternoon of May 10, 2023, about a day and a half after the operation began, Palestinians began firing rockets at Israel, initially attacking the Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip. Before firing rockets the PIJ leadership mocked the Israeli leadership for placing the country on alert in preparation for a reaction, disrupting daily life and making civilians "tense. Initially the Egyptian mediators made attempts to calm the situation, with Hamas party to the contacts.
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Iranian Activities in East Africa Nature and Significance

Iran engages in both overt and covert activities in East Africa. Its overt activities are the establishment of political, economic and ideological-educational ties with countries in the region to strengthen its local status, contribute to the Iranian economy by circumventing the oppressive sanctions imposed by the United States and other Western countries, and to counterbalance Saudi Arabia's growing influence and status in the region. In ITIC assessment, Iranian activities pose two significant challenges for Israel. Indirectly, they threaten Israel's relations and cooperation with East African countries, and directly, Iran's covert activities mark Israel interests, facilities and civilians as attack targets, as the prevention of such Iranian initiatives has shown in recent years.
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Operation Shield and Arrow in the Gaza Strip Initial Reactions as of May 9, 4 p.m.

In the early morning hours of May 9, 2023, three of the highest-ranking operatives of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) died in targeted killings in the Gaza Strip. Ten other people, among them members of the operatives' families, also died in the attacks IDF planes also attacked PIJ military-terrorist targets. The Palestinian terrorist organizations reacted angrily to the attack. Although Israel expressly stated the operation was not directed against Hamas, most of the organizations claimed the response would be united and they would all participate. There were also angry reactions in the Arab-Muslim world.
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Palestinian exhibition in Gaza featured objects smuggled out of Israeli prisons, including a video

An exhibition about the Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails c recently held in Gaza City. It featured prisoners' artwork, objects they made, and letters and books. There was also a corner with screens showing a video documenting the prisoners' daily life which had been filmed inside a jail and smuggled out. Fostering the legacy of the Palestinian terrorists in Israeli jails and turning them into role models is firmly embedded in the Palestinian narrative, and Palestinian Prisoners' Day (April 17) is deliberately marked as a national holiday in the PA territories and the Gaza Strip. The exhibition featured authentic items, manuscripts and a video filmed inside a prison and smuggled out in defiance of the State of Israel and the Israel Prison Service authorities.
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A day of tension following the death of a Palestinian prisoner in an Israeli jail

On May 2, 2023, the Israel Prison Service announced the death of administrative detainee Khader Adnan, who was found unconscious in his cell in the Nitzan prison facility before dawn. Attempts to revive him failed and he was pronounced dead at Asaf Harofeh Hospital. He had been on a hunger strike for 86 days and refused medical examinations or care. His death led to a day of tension in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip. Khader Adnan was a high-ranking Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) operative in northern Samaria. He was detained by the Israeli security forces on February 5, 2023 on suspicion of membership in a terrorist organization, support for terrorism and incitement. It was the 13th time he had been detained. As on previous occasions, he immediately began a hunger strike (Israeli media, May 2, 2023). An Israeli court rejected the Prison Service's request to force-feed him (Israeli media, May 2, 2023). The Palestinian arena condemned Israel and blamed it for his death. Threats were made that Israel would "pay for it" and the international community was called on to punish Israel. The Jerusalem Brigades (the PIJ's military-terrorist wing), put all its units on alert to prepare a response to his death and a PIJ political bureau delegation cancelled a planned trip abroad. A general strike was declared in the Palestinian Authority (PA) territories, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip and protests marches and rallies were held. On the social networks Palestinians posted calls for revenge and for clashes with IDF forces at the friction points. Following his death, on the morning of May 2, 2023, and throughout the next 24 hours, terrorists in the Gaza Strip fired more than 100 rockets and mortar shells at the Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip. The IDF responded by attacking terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip, which led to more rocket fire. Before dawn on May 3, 2023, a ceasefire was achieved. The responses to Khader Adnan's death were another illustration of the c
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Incitement and encouragement for terrorist attacks in Hamas TV shows during Ramadan

The Palestinian terrorist organizations, especially Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), produce their own television series for Ramadan, competing for attention. The audiences have a wide range of online outlets to choose from, and tend to watch programs offering entertainment, dramas and comedies produced and disseminated by media giants in Turkey, Egypt and the Persian Gulf countries. During the past few years Hamas and the PIJ have made efforts to improve the quality of the programs they produce and raise their ratings. One of their methods is to link them to local current events, especially the "heroic achievements" of the armed "resistance" [terrorist attacks] in the "struggle" against Israel. Hamas' media department series for Ramadan 2023, called "The path of sacrifice," was devoted to Palestinian terrorist operatives who carried out attacks. Their objective was to ramp up anti-Israeli incitement and encourage terrorist attacks in Judea, Samaria, Jerusalem and inside Israel. Following Hamas policy, the incitement was aimed not only at its own operatives but at the operatives of all the armed terrorist organizations, as well as Palestinians who have no organizational affiliation and on their own initiative attack with simple, easily available weapons, such as knives and vehicles. The series' emphasis was on terrorist attacks in Judea, Samaria, Jerusalem and inside Israel without reference to terrorism from the Gaza Strip.
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