When I was last at Bet Shalom, I delivered a sermon about the recent terrorist shooting in the heart of Jerusalem. I spoke about the strength of the Israeli army, the IDF, but also admitted that when young boys are gunned down in cold blood while praying, we feel vulnerable. This led to a discussion about the situation in Sederot, Ashkelon and other areas of the Western Negev that have been suffering from missiles sent by Hamas into Israel proper. In order to understand this situation fully, we need to have the facts. I am posting a rather complex chart that details how many, when, and what kind of missiles have been launched from Gaza into Israel. Studying this chart carefully will lead us to a deeper understanding of the incendiary situation the state of Israel is facing.
-- Rabbi David Ebstein
Statistics for rocket attacks on Israel emanating from the Gaza Strip, through 29 February 2008:
I. Total Attacks
| Since the first rocket fell on Israel on 16 April 2001 | 2994 |
| Since the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in August 2005 | 2411 |
| Since the Hamas takeover of Gaza in mid-June 2007 | 979 |
| This year: from 1 January through 29 Feb. 2008 | 498 |
| 1-4 March 2008 (tentative) | 95 |
II. Breakdown According to Year
| Year | No. of Rockets | Comments | Mortar Bombs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 4 | 245 | |
| 2002 | 35 | 257 | |
| 2003 | 155 | 265 | |
| 2004 | 281 | 876 | |
| 2005 | 179 | 108 until the withdrawal; 71 afterwards | 238 |
| 2006 | 946 | 22 | |
| 2007 | 896 | 421 until the Hamas takeover; 475 afterwards | 749 |
| 2008 | 498 | January-February | 364 |
III. Mortar bomb hits during the same period:
More then 3000
IV. All of these statistics relate to identified hits in Israeli territory.
The total number of rockets launched is about 20% more and includes failed launchings as well as rockets that fell short (inside the Gaza Strip) or in the sea.
V. Grad Missiles
During the recent escalation (27 February – 3 March), 23 hits of Grad missiles were identified, most in Ashkelon. Some of them were in the northern part of the city, which was hit for the first time (including Kfar Silver, a youth village north of the city). A Grad missile also hit Netivot, near the grave of Baba Sali. The scope and frequency of launchings of these long-range missiles is unprecedented.
The statistics used by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are taken from the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Israel Intelligence Heritage & Commemoration Center (IICC) under the direction of Dr. Reuven Ehrlich.