Hamas can be translated as “zeal” and represents the Harakat
al-Muqawama al-Islamiya, or Islamic Resistance Movement. Hamas grew out of the Muslim
Brotherhood, a religious and political organization founded in Egypt with branches
throughout the Arab world. Hamas regards Israel as well as the Gaza Strip and the West
Bank an Islamic land that can never be surrendered to non-Muslims. It believes that jihad
(struggle) to “liberate” the land from Israel is the religious duty of every
Muslim.
As such, Hamas does not recognize Israel as a sovereign state. Hamas is listed
as a terrorist organization by Australia, Canada, the European Union, Israel, Japan, the United
Kingdom, and the United States, and is banned in Jordan.
Hamas considers terrorism a legitimate means of resistance. Hamas members
started carrying out terrorist attacks starting in the late '80s, at first in the West
Bank and Gaza Strip. The military wing of Hamas, formed in 1992, is known as the Izz
ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, to commemorate Sheikh Izz ad-Din al-Qassam, the forefather
of modern Arab resistance, killed by the British in 1935. Hamas is believed to have killed
more than 500 people in more than 350 separate terrorist attacks since then.
Hamas won 77 out of 118 seats in 10 council elections held in Gaza, January
2005. In 2006 Hamas won 76 of the 132 parliamentary seats. Hamas and Fatah forces soon
began fighting in the streets of the Gaza Strip. In 2007, Hamas and Fatah agreed to share
power.
In early June 2007, Fatah and Hamas forces fought again, Hamas eventually
stormed Fatah's Gaza headquarters and quickly took control of the north part of Gaza,
placing it under military rule.
Israel recognized a major threat to its territorial integrity and in
mid-September, declared the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip a hostile political entity. It imposed
a series of economic sanctions against Gaza, including cutting back on electricity and
fuel, closing down joint industrial areas and shutting down the crossings connecting Israel
and the Strip. Hamas called it a declaration of war and began the firing of what has been
estimated as 600 rockets into Israel.
Marshal gambles on the future
This was not the first time Israel and Gaza had fought. They had sniped at each
other both militarily and psychologically for decades. Egypt governed the Gaza Strip from
1948 to 1967 and Israel occupied the Gaza Strip from 1967 to 2005. There was ample
opportunity for the Israelis and the Palestinians to find fault with each other. An
example of an earlier undated Israeli propaganda leaflet to Gaza is depicted above.
This leaflet was originally offered for sale as propaganda from the 2006
Israel-Lebanon war. I had a record of all leaflets used in that war and this item was not
among them. The text indicates that it was used in Gaza instead. It shows an individual
placing bets on a roulette wheel. The text is:
Mashal gambles on the future of Palestine and brings you disappointment, despair
and destruction.
The roulette wheel consists of town names but because of the poor resolution we
can’t be certain. The card furthest to the right says “future” but
the rest are difficult to see.
The individual on the leaflet is Khaled Mashal, also known as Khaled Mashaal or
Khalid Mish'al. He is a Palestinian exile and the political leader of Hamas (The Islamic
Resistance Movement) since 2004.
The Offensive
Smoke rises from a building in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza Strip,
after it was hit in an Israeli missile strike on January 1, 2009
After months of hostility and hundreds of rockets fired from Gaza against Israel,
“Operation Cast Lead” was launched the sixth day of Hanukkah at 1130 on
Saturday, 27 December 2008. Israeli fighter jets struck Hamas offices, strongholds and
infrastructure in northern and central Gaza.
Two weeks after the initial attack Israel admitted that the preparation of the
battlefield and timing of the attack had been a psychological operation. According to Paul
Schemn of the Associated Press, The day before the massive Israeli air strike, Israeli
military radio channels broadcast talk of a “lull” and pulled troops back from
the border. Israeli defense officials later admitted that it was a psychological warfare
tactic to lure Hamas fighters out of hiding. The disinformation action allowed Israeli
bombers to catch hundreds of Hamas security men inside their compounds.
The operation's second day saw the majority of the underground weapon smuggling
tunnels along the Philadelphi Route destroyed; and within four days, 500 targets were
destroyed, including two-thirds of the Strip's rocket launching pads.
Hamas prepare rockets for launch
Hamas launch rocket towards Israel
Hamas fought on. Their troops in Gaza continued to fire at the western Negev
and southern Israel, launching dozens of rockets a day. On January 3rd, after a day of
aerial shelling and artillery, Israeli ground forces entered the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Tanks enter the Gaza Strip
Israeli PSYOP
Leaflet drop over Gaza Strip
Israeli Leaflet
The Israeli Air Force dropped leaflets over Gaza on 27 December asking the
citizens to inform their military of the whereabouts of projectile launchers and Hamas
members. The leaflets said:
Dear people of the Gaza Strip,
Bear the responsibility for your fate!
The Projectile launchers and the terrorist elements pose a threat to you and your
families.
If you wish to provide help and assistance to your people in the sector, call the number
below to provide us with the needed information.
The future of the massacre is in your hands. Don’t hesitate!
We will be glad to receive any information you have and it is not necessary to give us
your personal information.
We will keep it as a secret. Call us at the following number: 02-5839749
Or e-mail us at: Helpgaza2008@gmail.com
to provide us with any information on the terrorist factions.
Note: To protect your safety we ask you to be secretive when you call us.
Commander: Israeli Defense Forces.
By Nir Hasson and Yoav Stern wrote about this general type of leaflet in an article
entitled “The Unreported Battle with Hamas: Psychological Warfare” in Haaretz.com.
Artillery barrages and aircraft missiles are not the only way Israel is
communicating with the people of Gaza. Since the start of the conflict, the Israel Defense
Force has tried to wage psychological war on the civilian population. The most common
methods include dropping fliers from the air, taking control of Hamas' radio airwaves and
sending mass text messages.
The army often distributes leaflets warning residents against taking military
action or fraternizing with Hamas operatives. The fliers are generally attributed to an
ambiguous "IDF force commander" calling on residents to take responsibility for
their own fate. They tell them that “rocket launchers and terror elements are a
danger to you and your families. If you want to help, all you have to do is call this
number and state the location of the rocket launchers and terror cells operating in your
area. You can still prevent disaster. Do not hesitate!” They also promise utmost
secrecy.
Pacifist, Left-wing and pro-Islamic websites have all called for anti-Israeli
messages to be left on the phone and Internet sites mentioned in the leaflet. Shortly
after the text of the leaflet was published a number of prank calls and messages appeared
on the Internet.
On the same day, about 20,000 phone calls were made throughout the entire Gaza Strip
saying:
The IDF will hit and destroy any site or building containing ammunition or
weapons.
As of the publication of this announcement, the life of anyone in whose home ammunition
and weapons are to be found is in danger, and he must leave the place for the sake of
his own safety and that of his family.
The Israel Defense Forces Command
Jim Michaels mentioned the cell phone warfare in a U.S.A. Today article
entitled “Cell phones put to ‘unnerving’ use in Gaza.”
Palestinian phone users report receiving calls on both cell phones and land
lines, encouraging them to turn in Hamas militants or warning them their home is about to
be bombed. Israeli officials say they are doing Palestinians a service by advising them of
impending attacks so civilians can get out of a building. “We have to do what we can
to warn civilians,” said Maj. Jacob Dallal, an Israeli military spokesman. Israeli
military officials have declined to discuss the reports or whether they use phone calls
for other means, such as deceiving militants. “All I can say is we call them,
especially when we're going to target a building,” Dallal said.
Time is running out
Israeli Defense Forces also took over Hamas' Al-Aqsa television station.
The station became infamous in 2007 for broadcasting a children's show featuring an
anti-Semitic Mickey Mouse look-a-like. The IDF hacked into Al-Aqsa on 27 December,
and broadcast an image of a ringing phone that no one was answering. The messages in
Arabic was:
Hamas leadlers are hiding
Hamas leaders are hiding and they are leaving you on the
front line.
On December 28, 300,000 leaflets were dropped throughout the entire Gaza Strip.
There text was:
To the residents of the Gaza Strip
The Israel Defense Force will act against any movements and elements conducting terrorist
activities against the residents of the State of Israel.
The IDF will hit and destroy any building or site containing ammunition and weapons.
As of the publication of this announcement, anyone having ammunition and/or weapons in his
home is risking his life and must leave the place for the safety of his own life and that
of his family.
You have been warned.
The Israel Defense Force Command
Reading Leaflet among the rubble
On 28 December the IDF broadcast an animated clip of seven Hamas leaders, first
with a bullet in each head, then with all falling over in a pile. The image was then a
clock and the text in Arabic: “Time is running out.” Similar messages were sent
out on Al-Aqsa radio, as well. Some of the messages were:
Hamas leaders are hiding in the tunnels and are leaving you on the frontline
of Israel's Defense Forces.
Hamas leaders are lying to you and they are hiding in hospitals, Launching
rockets puts civilians in danger.
On December 29, 80,000 leaflets were dropped in Rafah and about 10,000 phone calls
were made to the residents of Rafah. The leaflet message is:
To Rafah Residents,
Israel Defense Forces is operating against the organizations and individuals that
participate in terrorist activity targeting the State of Israel.
The Israel Defense Forces will strike and destroy every site or building in which
weapons or smuggling tunnels are found.
Following this announcement, anyone located in a build containing weapons, or
where there are smuggling tunnels, is there at his/her own risk and it is his/her
responsibility to exit and evacuate his/her family!
You have been warned!Israel Defense Forces Command
The Israelis also broke into the local radio transmissions of Radio Hamas, the
Palestinian Islamic Jihad Radio and Radio PFLP. The message was
almost identical to the leaflet text:
To the residents of Rafah:
A military announcement -
The IDF will act against any organizations and elements carrying out terrorist
activities against the residents of the State of Israel.
The IDF will hit and destroy any building or site containing ammunition, weapons or
tunnels.
As of the issuing of this announcement, anyone having ammunition and/or weapons or a
tunnel in his home is risking his life and must leave the place for his own safety and
that of his family.
You have been warned.
The Israel Defense Forces Command
At the Islamic Jihad's Voice of Jerusalem radio station in Gaza City, broadcaster
Kamal Abu Nasser said that at least once an hour, the Israeli military breaks into his
signal and broadcasts messages blaming Hamas for all the problems in the Gaza Strip.
To the Residents of the Area
On January 3, the IDF dropped 300,000
leaflets in the entire Gaza Strip, especially in the northern and eastern
parts. The leaflets said:
To the Residents of the Area
Because of the terrorist actions that terrorist elements are carrying out from
the areas where you live against the State of Israel.
The Israel Defense Forces are obliged to carry out an immediate response and act
inside the areas where you live.
For your safety you are asked to evacuate this area as soon as
possible
Commander, Israel Defense Force
On January 3 and 4 there were reports that the IDF dropped thousands of
leaflets in Gaza City and other areas warning residents to evacuate their homes. The
leaflets said that:
To the residents of the area, because of the terrorist actions that
terrorist elements are carrying out from the areas where you live against the State of
Israel, the Israel Defense Forces are obliged to carry out an immediate response and act
inside the areas where you live, so for your safety you are asked to evacuate this area as
soon as possible
Commander, Israel Defense Force
Gaza residents reading leaflet
The Israelis also broke into the Gaza radio stations once again and made the
Announcement:
Military announcement:
To all residents of the area.
For your own safety, you are required to leave your homes immediately and
move to the city centers.
The Israel Defense Command.
On January 5, 300,000 leaflets were dropped in Gaza City, Khan Yunis and Rafah. The
International Herald Tribune mentioned a third leaflet that allegedly said:
Hamas is getting a taste of the power of the Israeli military after more
than a week and we have other methods that are still harsher to deal with Hamas. If the
army uses them, the toll will be very painful. For your safety, please evacuate your
neighborhood.
Additionally, the Shin Bet security service actually telephoned residents of
specific buildings and apartment blocks, giving them up to 15 minutes to leave the area.
Some of the reported messages are:
We are getting rid of Hamas and we will use still other means to do so.
Urgent message. Warning to the citizens of Gaza. Hamas is using you as human
shields. Do not listen to them. Hamas has abandoned you and are hiding in their shelters.
At about 2000 (8:00 p.m.) on 5 January, forces from Infantry Corps, Engineering
Corps, Armored Corps, Artillery Corps and Intelligence Corps entered the Gaza Strip with
the aim of significantly weakening the Hamas infrastructure and gaining control over
various launching areas.
Palestinians read leaflets
On the evening of 7 January, there was a report that an Israeli warplane dropped
leaflets over the Rafah refugee camp on the Gaza-Egypt border, urging residents to flee
because of planned Israel strikes. The leaflet included the names of four neighborhoods
expected to be hit by the IDF. Hamas allegedly has weapons smuggling tunnels in the area
and Israel had already destroyed dozens of them in air strikes. Israeli officials believe
that about 300 tunnels were used for smuggling weapons from Egypt to the Strip before the Gaza
operation was launched.
The leaflet said in part:
Because Hamas uses your houses to hide and smuggle military weapons, the IDF will
attack the area, between the Egyptian border and the beach road.
For your safety and for the safety of your children – follow the
instructions in this announcement.
There is one interesting story about the Hamas use of smuggled American weapons.
According to reliable sources, Hamas acquired four stinger missiles from Egyptian
smugglers in the Sinai Peninsula and tried to use them against Israeli Air Force AH-64
Apache attack helicopters. Raytheon, producer of the Stinger, had installed identification
friend/foe capabilities more than a decade ago. This prevents Stingers from being
fired against any aircraft used by the U.S. military. A Hamas source complained:
We were disappointed by them. They were useless. Our gunners couldn't fire the
weapon. A notice came up on the display saying “friendly aircraft.”
One Stinger surface-to-air missile was launched, but the projectile veered off
course and struck a Hamas gunner squad. The Stinger was drawn by the heat of our guns
rather than the engines of the Israeli helicopters. At that point, we stopped using this
weapon.
The war quieted for the next few days as the United Nations, France and Egypt
got involved in an attempt to stop the fighting. For three days Israel allowed food and
medical supplies to enter the Gaza Strip under a 3-hour truce while there was limited
fighting. Hamas continued to fire rockets and the Israelis made it clear there would be no
peace unless a neutral occupying force policed the Gaza Strip to insure there would be no
more secret arming of the Hamas militants. Israel slowly moved closer to Gaza City.
On 9 January, the Israel Defense Forces halted its air strikes, naval strikes and
ground operations between 1300 and 1600. During that ceasefire they permitted the transfer
of 80 humanitarian aid trucks loaded with medicine, medical supplies and basic food
supplies into Gaza City together with 60 000 liters of fuel. During the humanitarian
ceasefire they claim that four Grad rockets and two Qassam rockets were fired at southern
Israeli cities and communities.
Hamas Defensive Map
Israel publicized a captured Hamas map
on 9 January they said that depicted snipers positioned at the entrance of the A-Tawil
mosque and in the mosques next to it. It indicates that explosives are planted in the
entrances of civilian homes. The Israeli Intelligence Corps Officer-in-Chief,
Brigadier General Yuval Halmish said:
The important point is the disregard for human life in using entrances civilian
homes. They booby-trapped the entrances of civilian houses with explosives put close to
them; the objective is of course to hit our forces but a local explosion also damages the
houses of the civilians and causes great damage, and likely killing civilians. Hamas
prevents the distribution of the Israel Defense Forces cautionary leaflets that ask the
civilian population to leave their houses. Although Israel Defense Forces make every
possible effort not to harm civilians and only target Hamas members and terror operatives,
Hamas prevents these things.
Gazan holds the Latest Israeli Leaflet
On 10 January the Israeli Air Force dropped what they called a “general
warning” leaflet, dropped on parts of Gaza City, the northern Gaza town of Beit
Lahiya and the south of the territory. The
leaflet said Israel was about to begin a “new phase in the war on terror” and
will "escalate" their military operation. The leaflets urged Gaza
residents not to help Hamas and to stay away from its members. Israeli defense officials
say they are prepared for a third stage of the offensive, in which ground troops would
push much further into Gaza, and the army also has a fourth stage planned that calls for a
full reoccupation of Gaza and toppling of Hamas. Some of the leaflet text is:
Residents of Gaza,
The Israeli military had in recent days warned residents of the southern city of Rafah
of an imminent operation, and asking them to evacuate their homes for their safety.
The fact that the residents of Rafah abided by the orders has protected those who
had nothing to do with the fight.
The Israeli Defense Force will soon escalate its operations against tunnels,
weapons warehouses, terrorist infrastructure and terrorists all over the Gaza Strip. To
keep yourself and your family safe, you are ordered to stay away from terrorist elements
and from places where terrorist operations occur. Please continue abiding by our orders.
At the same time, The Israelis called residents of Gaza City saying:
We are going to intensify the military strike against Hamas. Our intention is not
to harm civilians. If you live near Hamas, evacuate.
On 11 January there were reports of Israelis
telephoning Gazans and, in good Arabic, pretending to be sympathetic Egyptians, Saudis,
Jordanians or Libyans. After expressing horror at the Israeli war and asking about the
family, the callers ask about local conditions, whether the family supports Hamas and if
there are fighters in the building or the neighborhood.
On 12 January the Jerusalem Post printed an article that stated that Israel
believed that its leaflets dropped over Gaza during Operation Cast Iron warning civilians
of impending air strikes and ground movements could help the army prove that it has not
committed war crimes in Gaza. We don’t usually consider leaflets legal briefs to be
used in court cases, but the Israelis expect a number of international lawsuits related to
Operation Cast Iron and are prepared to use the warning leaflets in their defense.
For the next few days there was no report of leafleting by the Israelis, but they
did publish a list of how many humanitarian deliveries had been made to Gaza each day and
ran total for the war. For instance, on 14 January Israel stated that:
While determined to confront Hamas terrorism, the humanitarian situation of
innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza is for Israel a top priority. Israel makes
every effort to avoid a humanitarian crisis and cooperate and coordinate constantly and
closely with the international humanitarian organizations. Currently there exists no such
calamity - international aid groups have even asked that Israel briefly suspend shipments
since there is no more room in their Gaza warehouses.
1,136 truckloads (over 26,000 tons) of humanitarian aid have been
delivered to Gaza. Priority is given to humanitarian supplies in accordance with the needs
raised by the international community and the Palestinian civil committee.
On 15 January there was talk of a 10-day cease fire as the Egyptians tried to broker
a peace between Israel and the Gazans. Even as the talks went on, Israel started to push
into Gaza City, the most heavily populated area of the strip.
For the second time, missiles were fired against the north of Israel from Lebanon as
some organization, most likely Hezbollah, tried to open a second front to help the Gazans
in the south. More than a dozen Katyusha rockets landed in northern Israel. The Israeli
military said that it returned fire and that it viewed the Lebanese government and
military as responsible to prevent such attacks.
On 16 January Israel and the United States signed a Memorandum of Understanding
Between Israel and the United States Regarding Prevention of the Supply of Arms and
Related Materiel to Terrorist Groups.
Israel had been called upon numerous times to stop its attack on Gaza but
stated that it would not do so until there was an end to weapons being smuggled into the
Strip. The memorandum discussed Israel’s demands and said in part:
The Parties will work cooperatively with neighbors and in parallel with others in
the international community to prevent the supply of arms and related materiel to
terrorist organizations that threaten either party, with a particular focus on the supply
of arms, related materiel and explosives into Gaza to Hamas and other terrorist
organizations.
Ulrike Putz discussed Israeli propaganda in an
article entitled “Psychological Tricks to Demoralize the Enemy” in Spiegel Online International on 16 January. He stated that Israeli leaflets dropped over Lebanon in 2006 were poorly prepared but the leaflets
disseminated in Gaza were much better:
But in the last two and a half years, Israel's army has learned a thing or two
about psychological warfare. For one, they've captured the airways -- but for another,
they've also improved their flyers. Pamphlets dropped on the Gaza Strip refrain from
relying on simplistic propaganda images. Instead, they provide telephone numbers and
e-mail addresses -- Palestinians can use them should they want to report the whereabouts
of Hamas leaders or weapons caches…
…Israeli military speakers have for days been reporting that their generals
in the field have observed scores of demoralized Hamas fighters deserting. The claim can't
be confirmed -- but it definitely affects morale. It strengthens the Israeli population's
will to continue; and in the Gaza Strip, where Israeli media is the main source of
information, this message raises questions about whether Hamas may, in fact, be on its
last legs.
On 18 January Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced a ceasefire as he said in
part:
Today, I spoke with the President of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, who presented Egypt’s
initiative to me, along with his request for a ceasefire. I thanked the President for
Egypt’s commitment to finding a solution to this crisis and for the important role it
plays in the Middle East. I presented the President’s statement to the Cabinet, along
with the totality of our achievements in the operation, as well as the completion of the
goals. The Cabinet decided to accept my proposal to declare a ceasefire.
Beginning at 2:00 a.m., Israel will cease its actions against the terrorist
organizations in the Gaza Strip and will remain deployed in the Gaza Strip and its
environs.
It must be remembered that Hamas is not part of the arrangements we came
to. These are agreements involving many countries, and a terrorist organization like
Hamas is not and need not be a part of them. If our enemies decide that the blows
they have already suffered are not enough and they wish to continue fighting, Israel will
be ready for that scenario and will feel free to continue responding with force.
On 25 January, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, expecting Israel to be charged with war
crimes by the Arab states made what I would call a preemptive strike. He said in part:
I appointed Justice Minister Prof. Daniel Friedmann to chair an inter-ministerial
team to coordinate the State of Israel's activity to provide a legal defense for those who
took part in the military operation. Minister Friedmann will formulate answers to
possible questions regarding IDF operations, which the self-righteous are liable to raise
concerning the character of the Israeli fighting and its results. The soldiers and
commanders who were sent on missions in Gaza must know that they are safe from various
tribunals and that the State of Israel will assist them on this issue and defend them just
as they bodily defended us during Operation Cast Lead.
As a moral army without peer, the IDF took care to act in accordance with
international law and did its utmost to prevent harming civilians who were not involved in
the fighting, including their property, and to this end, inter alia, distributed very many
flyers and also used the local media and the local telephone network in order to deliver
timely general and detailed warnings to the civilian population. The Government condemns
and rejects the attempts to cast aspersions on the character of the IDF, its soldiers and
commanders, and expresses its confidence in its norms and values.
On 27 January, Israel found itself under fire because an anti-war ex-military group
calling itself “Breaking the Silence” accused Brigadier-General Chief
Rabbi Avi Ronzki of issuing a booklet to soldiers taking part in Operation Cast Lead
entitled Go Fight My Fight: A Daily Study Table for the Soldier and Commander in a Time
of War.
The booklet allegedly implied that all Palestinians are their mortal enemies and
advising them that cruelty is sometimes a good attribute. In one section, the booklet
compares Palestinians to the Philistines, a people depicted in the Bible as a war-like
menace and existential threat to Israel. In another, the army rabbinate appears to be
encouraging soldiers to disregard the international laws of war aimed at protecting
civilians. The booklet cites the renowned medieval Jewish sage Maimonides as saying that
“one must not be enticed by the folly of the Gentiles who have mercy for the
cruel.”
News of the existence of this booklet comes at a bad time as the Israelis prepare
for legal attacks and have gone on record as saying that they did everything possible to
assure that there would be few civilian deaths or injuries.
Hamas PSYOP
Hamas Cell Phone Message
Hamas quickly retaliated. On 1 January there was a report of Hamas sending text
messages to Israeli cell phones. Dozens of Israelis received text messages warning them
that the offensive in Gaza will only bring about massive rocket fire on Israel. The text
message read:
Rockets on all cities, shelters will not protect you from the
Qassam rocket - Hamas.
Jim Michaels adds in U.S.A. Today:
Yaniv Levyatan, a psychological warfare expert at the University of Haifa, said
cell phones are a natural tool since soldiers and militants are generally young and have
grown up using them. Israel and Gaza are both small, densely populated areas blanketed by
wireless service, making the phones' use even more effective. Levyatan said the messages
from Hamas to Israeli cell phones were generally crude and not targeted very well.
“The Hebrew was terrible,” he said.
There were also reports that the al-Qassam Brigades, which is affiliated with
Hamas, had managed to cut into Israeli military radio channels and broadcast statements in
Hebrew warning Zionist soldiers against entering the Gaza Strip.
The Hamas military wing confirmed that Hamas wanted to warn the Israeli public
against escalation in Gaza. It claimed that telephone messages and breaching the enemy's
radio frequencies were just some of the surprises they had in store for Israel. They
bragged of their military and technological capabilities. Remembering the Israelis
unsuccessful 2006 incursion into Lebanon spokesman Abu Abir said:
The massacre inflicted on the Israeli tanks in the Second Lebanon War will
repeat itself in the Strip.
Hamas also claimed to have broadcast messages on Israeli military
walkie-talkies threatening to kidnap and kill Israeli soldiers.
There have also been reports of threatening text messages sent to the inhabitants of
Israel's southern towns telling them to hide underground because Hamas is coming for them.
An Injured Child in Gaza
Thousands of e-mails including the most horrific photographs of the Gaza Strip
conflict were circulated in the Arab world. They also include photographs of dead
Palestinian children, their small bodies completely destroyed. The captions read:
Zionists are Nazis
Two of 31 propaganda pictures on an Arab website comparing Jewish
actions in Gaza to Nazi actions during the Holocaust. Curiously, many Arabs deny the
Holocaust, yet they are willing to use the term in their propaganda.
Holocaust Victim
What is more interesting is that weeks after the picture of the little boy with wet
pants was placed on the holocaust montage, other pictures of him appeared that clearly
showed him throwing rocks at Israeli policemen.
Dr. Tal Pavel, an expert on use of the Internet for psychological
warfare in the Middle East, says Hamas is using its Web sites to make comparisons between Israel
and Nazi Germany. It portrays Israel as a destructive, oppressive regime afraid of Hamas
rockets raining on Tel Aviv. Among the images on the sites is an Israeli Defense Force
tank commander holding his severed head in hand, and a tank lying destroyed on its side.
Hackers took over hundreds of web sites. For instance, The site of Israel's
main newspaper Yediot Ahronot was hacked. People who surfed to the paper's URL were
redirected to a black page featuring anti-Israel propaganda and an Arab battle song. It
took the newspaper at least half a day to regain control of its website.
On 5 January, Hamas and Islamic Jihad said in separate leaflets that their
militants fired rockets at southern Israel and blew up more roadside bombs against Israeli
soldiers. Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas armed wing, said in a leaflet that its militants fired
several Russian-made rockets at Israeli army bases and towns in southern Israel, causing
damages and injuries.
On January 8, The New York Times, the once great “Gray Lady” of
publishing, admitted that they had printed pro-Palestinian propaganda. An
“Op-Ed” article they published on misperceptions of Gaza included an unverified
quotation.
A former Israeli Defense Forces chief of staff, Moshe Yaalon, was quoted as
saying in 2002 that "the Palestinians must be made to understand in the deepest
recesses of their consciousness that they are a defeated people." This quotation,
while cited widely, does not appear in the Israeli newspaper interview to which it is
usually attributed. Its original source has not been found, and thus it should not have
appeared in the article.
The inflammatory words were attributed to Rashid Kalidi, a professor of Arab
studies at Columbia University and close friend of President Barack Obama, though it is
possible that the fake quote goes back as far as 2003. The quote has been printed numerous
times in anti-Israeli articles.
Commentary Magazine adds:
What is fairly certain is that this is yet one more example of an insensitive or
incendiary comment falsely attributed to Israeli officials (one of the most notorious is
the statement Ariel Sharon is supposed to have made regarding Israel’s control of
Congress) and given eternal life in cyberspace for the comfort and edification of
Israel’s enemies.
Hamas believes in the concept of “involuntary martyrdom” (getting
civilians killed for the cause, even if they are unknowing). So civilians stay away from
areas where the rockets are launched, and try to conceal the fact that rockets are hidden
under their homes.
Rockets and Missles Fired by Hamas into Israel
We should briefly mention the weapons of Hamas. Since 2001, Hamas has fired about
6,000 rockets against Israel.In addition, there have been about 4,000 mortar attacks. The
Kassam I was first fired against Israel in 2001. It is 60mm in diameter, weighs twelve
pounds and carries a one pound explosive charge. Its range is about three kilometers. In
2003 the Kassam II came online. It weighs 70 pounds, is 150mm in diameter and six feet
long. It has a range of eight kilometers, and an 11-15 pound warhead. The Kassam III is
6.7 feet long, 170mm in diameter, with a range of about 12 kilometers, and a warhead of
22-44 pounds. There is also a Kassam IV, with a range of 15 kilometers, and missile called
the Nasser 4, with a range of up to 20 kilometers.
Israeli intelligence officials believe Hamas has several hundred factory made BM-21
rockets, each with a range of 20-40 kilometers. The 122mm BM-21s weigh 150 pounds and are
nine feet long. These have 45 pound warheads. They also have some shorter range (six
kilometers) B-12 rockets. The B-12 is a 107mm, 42 pound, Russian designed rocket that has
a range of about six kilometers and three pounds of explosives in its warhead.
On 18 January, Israel declared a unilateral ceasefire. Hamas, acting like a child
that wanted to get the last word in, fired 10 rockets into southern Israel soon after the
ceasefire took effect. Then, in imitation of “Baghdad Bob,” (Mohammed Saeed
al-Sahaf) the Iraqi Minister of Information who claimed that Americans were in full
retreat even as they entered Baghdad, Ayman Taha, a Hamas official, announced that Hamas
had granted a ceasefire so that Israeli forces might vacate Gaza within a week.
In Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki parroted the Palestinian
claims stating that the unilateral ceasefire declared by the Zionist regime signified its
defeat in the face of heroic resistance shown by the Gaza people.
On 19 January, there were reports of Hamas torturing and murdering members of the
Opposition Fatah party on suspicion of “collaboration” with Israel during
Operation Cast Lead.
The Fatah members and eyewitnesses said the detainees were being held in school
buildings and hospitals that Hamas had turned into make-shift interrogation centers. A
Fatah official in Ramallah said that at least 100 of his men had been killed or wounded as
a result of the massive Hamas crackdown. Some had been brutally tortured, he added. According to the official, at least three of the
detainees had their eyes put out by their interrogators, who accused them of providing Israel
with wartime information about the location of Hamas militiamen and officials.
Two Hamas officials, Salah Bardaweel and Fawzi Barhoum, accused Palestinian
Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his “spies” in the Gaza Strip of tipping
off the Israelis about the movements of slain Hamas interior minister Said Siam, who was
killed in an Israeli Air Force strike in Gaza City.
The Fatah official in Ramallah said that, apart from being baseless, the allegations
were aimed at paving the way for a ruthless Hamas attack on Fatah activists in the Gaza
Strip:
They were afraid to confront the Israeli army and many Hamas militiamen even ran
away during the fighting. Hamas is now venting its anger and frustration against our Fatah
members there.
A Fatah activist in Gaza City claimed that as many as 80 members of his faction were
either shot in the legs or had their hands broken for allegedly defying Hamas's
house-arrest orders:
What's happening in the Gaza Strip is a new massacre that is being carried out by
Hamas against Fatah. Where were these Hamas cowards when the Israeli army was here?
Since Fatah has been fighting Hamas for control of Gaza these reports could be
disinformation, but if true they point to more problems among the militant Palestinian
leadership.
On 20 January, Arab nations claimed that Israel had used depleted ammunition
during the three-week war. There had been previous claims that Israel had used white
phosphorus during the brief war. The Geneva Convention of 1980 proscribes the use of white
phosphorus as a weapon of war in civilian areas, although it can be used to create a
smokescreen. The Israel Defense Forces replied that all weapons used in Gaza were
"within the scope of international law." Yigal Palmor, spokesman for the Israeli
Foreign Ministry, said in regard to the depleted uranium charges:
This is a particularly poor propaganda spin. These accusations have been raised
in the past many times and have been proven groundless each time by independent
investigators.
Hezbollah had made a similar claim about depleted uranium ammunition after the 2006
war, but investigators found no proof. Depleted uranium makes shells and bombs harder and
increases their penetrating power. The U.S. and NATO have used uranium-depleted rounds in Bosnia
and Iraq. They are particularly effective against heavy armor.
On 25 January, the Hamas leadership started paying the Gazans for the damage to
their homes caused by the Israelis during the short war. This had first been done with
great fanfare by Hezbollah in Lebanon after their 2006 war with Israel, and it is a
powerful propaganda tool and an excellent photo opportunity. Hamas pledged $52 million of
the group’s funds to help repair the Gaza Strip. Nobody knows exactly where the money
comes from, but it is believed that the Muslim world and Iran contribute. The payment is
$1,300 for a death in the family, $650 for an injury, $5,200 for a destroyed house and
$2,600 for a damaged house. Hamas claims that more than 20,000 Palestinian houses have
been either completely demolished or partially damaged during the war.
Gaza Smugglers back at Work
One day after the last Israeli soldier left the Gaza Strip after a 26-day military
campaign to destabilize the militant Islamist group Hamas and demolish the tunnels used to
bring in weapons, Palestinian smugglers and tunnel diggers were back in business. The
smugglers were clearing hundreds of tunnels that run beneath Egypt’s border with Gaza.
Israel says it bombed 80 percent of the tunnels from the air. But television crews have
already captured images of smugglers back at work, underlining Israel’s argument that
international efforts have to be made to stop weapons before they are smuggled into the Gaza
Strip.
On 29 January, some Gaza militants who apparently desired more Israeli bombing
decided to break the truce by firing two homemade rockets from the Gaza Strip at southern
Israeli towns in the vicinity of the enclave. The Al-Aqsa Brigades, Fatah movement's armed
wing, said in a leaflet that its militants fired one rocket at the town of Ashkelon.
Meanwhile, Israeli Radio reported that another rocket landed on Thursday morning on an
opened area near the southern Israeli town of Sderot. Since Fatah has claimed
responsibility for these rockets, it could be that they want to continue the war that
killed so many their enemy Hamas fighters, or it could be a propaganda ploy to show the
residents of the Gaza Strip that unlike Hamas, they are still willing to fight the
Israelis. As might be expected, Israeli F16 warplanes then dropped two bombs at Rafah in
the southern Gaza Strip. No injuries are reported.
On 30 January, Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayeh emerged from hiding for the first time
since the war began. He stood in front of the damaged Parliament Building and declared
victory while more than 5,000 Hamas supporters cheered:
We thank God when we see our houses bombed and our institutions destroyed, but
our people say yes to the resistance and yes to martyrdom for the sake of God. We say
proudly that Gaza has won the war, the resistance has won the war, and Hamas has won the
war.
Information or Disinformation?
Candles during Daylight?
It is difficult to end an article like this because even though the actual fighting
is over, various terrorist groups will continue to fire the occasional rocket into Israel
and of course the Israel Defense Force will then retaliate with a surgical bombing of some
Hamas site. For weeks after the end of the occupation there were rumors that Hamas and Israel
were going to sign a peace treaty. This was being forced on Gaza by other Arab states that
wanted a return to the peaceful status quo. In early February, the rumor got
stronger and reports of secret meetings appeared in the press. Then, like a dash of cold
water, Prime Minister Olmert's Media Adviser sent out a statement that reminded everyone
that Israel had new leaders being elected and was unlikely to sign any treaties during the
changeover period. We can only hope this is disinformation:
In the wake of various reports from foreign sources to the effect that Israel is
about to sign, as it were, a lull agreement with Hamas, we should like to clarify the
following: Israel is not conducting any negotiations with Hamas and will certainly not
reach any understandings with it…In any case, should a decision of any kind be
required, it will be made only via a meeting of the Security Cabinet and after taking into
account all of the new political circumstances that have been created in the wake of the
recent Israeli elections.
Just to show that some PSYOP stories never end; Gaza reported on 25 May 2009 that a
10-year-old Palestinian child was injured after being struck by an airdropped Israeli
leaflet container. Israeli aircraft had dropped thousands of leaflets over Gaza warning
residents to stay away from the border. There have been numerous clashes along the border
recently and on several occasions the Israelis have bombed the smuggling tunnels. The boy
lost consciousness and was hospitalized. The leaflets were written in Arabic and said in
part:
You have been warned. We urge residents in the Strip to keep a 300-meter distance
from the fence.
We should point out that this could be true or could be Gaza disinformation aimed at
rousing international pressure to halt the Israelis from dropping their leaflets on Gaza.
Almost a full year after the end of hostilities, in September 2009, Israel and Hamas
both rejected the findings of a highly critical United Nations inquiry into the war. The
inquiry, headed by former South African judge Richard Goldstone accused both Israel and
Hamas of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity.
Israeli spokesman Mark Regev said:
The mandate was biased from the beginning and it would have been a mistake to
give credibility to a mission that has more in common with a kangaroo court than it does
with a serious investigation.
Hamas spokesman Ismail Haniyeh said:
The Palestinian people and the Palestinian resistance were in a position of
self-defense and not of attack. One cannot compare the simple capabilities of the
resistance with the great strength of the occupation.
The inquiry rejected Israel's argument that the war was a response to Palestinian
rocket fire and therefore an act of self-defense. It said that Israeli actions depriving
Gazans of means of subsistence, employment, housing and water, and denying their freedom
of movement could lead a competent court to find that the crime against humanity had been
committed. It also said Palestinian rocket attacks did not distinguish between civilian
and military targets, caused terror among Israeli civilians and would constitute war
crimes and may amount to crimes against humanity.
A new form of psychological warfare originated in Gaza in October 2010, when for the
first time the Jihadists made an Internet threat to the Israelis in the Hebrew
language. A day after the Israeli Air Force killed a senior Army of Islam terrorist said
to be plotting the kidnap of Israeli vacationers in Sinai, an al-Qaida affiliated group in
Gaza known as Jemma Ansar al-Sunna (the Community of Sunna Supporters) issued the
Hebrew-language audio threat:
In the name of Allah, the most merciful the most compassionate, this is our
letter to the attacking Jews. The killing of our brothers won’t stop us from
continuing the jihad and won’t give you security. Our rockets will continue if you
don’t leave the land of Palestine. Know that your citizens won’t be safe
anywhere.
Addendum
On 16-17 July 2011, over
two years after the end of the last leafleting of Gaza, Israeli Air Force F-16 fighters
dropped leaflets over the strip. One leaflet was all text except for a drawing of the
border area, the other was all text. The leaflets, written in Arabic and signed by the
“Israel Defense Forces,” warned residents not to come near the border with
Israel in the northern part of the territory. Some of the text is:
To the people of the
strip! You have been warned, Israeli Defense Forces repeat their message alerting the
prohibition of moving near the buffer zone, at a distance closer than 300 meters. Those
who come nearby will be subject to danger, whereby the Israeli Defense Forces will take
all necessary procedures to force him away, including the fire of live bullets if
necessary, he who has alerted us shall be excused!
Note that the Israelis
say that this is a “repeat” of a previous message. Two similar leaflets with
different maps but almost identical messages were dropped over Gaza on 25 May 2009.
Terrorists, Tunnel Owners and Smugglers
A second leaflet dropped
by Israeli aircraft allegedly asked the residents of Gaza to report on their neighbors and
warned of continued strikes, especially in northern areas. Some of the text is:
Terrorists, tunnel
owners and smugglers of military equipment know very well that the continuation of terror
acts, smuggling of military equipment and digging of tunnels is considered a constant
target for further IDF operations, but they continue to operate in your place of residence
and to assimilate among you.
The digging of tunnels
from your homes or nearby and the smuggling of military equipment into the Strip by such
terrorists puts your life in danger as well as your children, your families and your
possessions. You must take responsibility for your future! You must call or email the
following address and pass along information on the terrorists involved in this industry
of death related to the tunnels.
In July 2011, militants
believed to be from an extremist group known as Tawhid and Jihad fired about a
dozen rockets into Israel. Israel responded with airstrikes that killed three people and
wounded 10 others. In an attempt to calm the situation, Hamas Prime Minister Ismail
Haniyeh called on the militants in Gaza to accept an immediate halt in rocket attacks
against Israel.
Important Announcements…
In November 2012, the fighting flared up once again. This time the Israelis dropped
leaflets that said:
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE GAZA STRIP
For your own safety, take responsibility for yourselves and avoid being present
in the vicinity of Hamas operatives and facilities and those of other terror organizations
that pose a risk to your safety.
Hamas is once again dragging the region to violence and bloodshed. The IDF is
determined to defend the residents of the State of Israel. This announcement is valid
until quiet is restored to the region.
In addition, the Israel Defense Forces and the Hamas military Al Qassam Brigades
went on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr, instantly sharing photos, videos and news
in English, so that they can reach the broadest possible audience.
The Israelis call the Operation “Pillar of Defense.” The operation is a
widespread campaign against terror targets in Gaza and has two main goals: to protect
Israeli civilians and to cripple the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza. They claim that as
of mid-November more than 700 rockets have struck Israel since the beginning of the year.
Evacuate your homes…
Several days later on 20 November, the Israelis dropped two sets of leaflets
directing residents to use five specific roads to move out of their neighborhoods, which
form a crescent around the southern half of the city center. The text on one leaflet said:
To the residents of Sheikh Ajlin, Tel Al-Hwa, Rimal South, Zeitoun, Sjaiya,
Turkeman and Sajiya Jadida:
For your safety, you are required to evacuate your residences immediately and
move towards the central Gaza city, via Al-Khara, Jma'at Al Dul Al Arabia, Al Aqsa Al
Qudsiya, Um Alaimoun, Salah A-din, Al-Maqsurra, Hal's Mjdad.
In the central Gaza city, you are required to stay between the areas of Salah
A-din from the west, Amar Al-Muchtar from the north, Al-Nasser from the east and Al-Quds
St. from the south.
Second warning leaflet
The second leaflet said:
To the residents of the outskirts of Shati, Al-Atatra, Beit Lahiya and Beit
Hanoun:
For your safety, you are required to evacuate your residences immediately and
move towards central Gaza city via Al-Falujah, Al-Udda and Salah A-din. In the central
Gaza city, you are required to stay between the roads of Salah A-din from the west, Amar
Al-Muchtar from the north, Al-Nasser from the east and Al-Quds St. from the south."
Additional text on one or both of the leaflets is:
The Israeli forces are not aiming at any of you and don't want to hurt any of
your family members. This is a temporary confrontation. In the end, everyone will go home.
In keeping with Israel Defense Forces regulations, all civilians will be kept from harm's
way.
One Gaza resident was quoted:
Based on what they're saying on this leaflet, there's going to be a ground
incursion. The last war we didn't listen to the leaflet and we suffered a lot. We want to
evacuate before the incursion starts to protect ourselves.
Hamas told the people of Gaza to ignore the leaflets.
Dead Child Killed by Hamas used as Palestine Propaganda
Once again the press was caught with their pants down as BBC war correspondent Jon
Donnison tweeted a photo of an injured girl lying on a stretcher, saying it was taken in
Gaza with the terms “heart-breaking” and “pain in Gaza.” It turned out
to be disinformation and the photograph actually showed a female wounded in Syria by her
fellow Syrians. A few days later CNN was also fooled by a photograph of a dead Palestinian
child. CNN claimed the child was killed by an Israeli rocket, when in fact it was killed
by a Hamas rocket that fell short. Breibart said:
Hamas has a well-established pattern of faking civilian deaths in Gaza, even as
it seeks civilian deaths in Israel. Last week, Breitbart News caught Hamas using a
month-old photo of a dead Syrian boy and claiming he had been killed by Israel--a double
irony, since the Assad regime that killed the boy hosted Hamas for years before the
outbreak of the Syrian civil war.
The brief battle lasted just eight days before a truce was declared. As always both
sides claimed victory and as always, the truce was immediately broken by rockets from
Gaza, but not enough to cause a renewal of the fighting
2014 – OPERATION PROTECTIVE EDGE
Fighting flared up in Gaza again in 2014. The stated aim of the Israeli operation
was to stop rocket fire from Gaza into Israel, which increased after an Israeli crackdown
on Hamas in the West Bank was launched following the 12 June 2014 kidnapping and murder of
three Israeli teenagers by two Hamas members. Conversely, Hamas's goal was to bring
international pressure to bear to lift Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip, end Israel's
offensive, obtain a third party to monitor and guarantee compliance with a ceasefire,
release Palestinian prisoners and overcome its political isolation.
The Israeli view of the action is that 3,360 rockets were fired from Gaza with 2,303
hitting Israel. 584 rockets were intercepted and destroyed by the Israeli Iron Dome
anti-aircraft system. In retaliation, the Israeli destroyed 32 tunnels, struck 4,762
terror targets (launch sites, weapons facilities and command centers), and killed more
than 750 terrorists.
67 Israeli soldiers, 5 Israeli civilians and one Thai civilian were killed and 469
Israel Defense Force soldiers and 261 Israeli civilians were injured.
Two Operation Protective Edge leaflets are known to have been dropped by the
Israelis. The first said:
To the people of the Gaza Strip: The terrorists and smugglers are well aware that
their terrorist acts of digging tunnels to smuggle military ammunition is a target for the
Israeli Defense Forces, but they keep working and taking cover near your residences.
Do not stand still. You are being used by terrorists who will not be by your side
when you get hurt. Take responsibility for your future!
To the Residents of Shuja'iya and Zeitoun
The second leaflet features a map and the text:
To the residents of Shuja'iya and Zeitoun,
In spite of the ceasefire, Hamas and other terrorist organizations continued to
fire rockets. Therefore it is the intention of the IDF to carry out aerial strikes against
terror sites and operatives in Shu'ja'iya and Zeitoun. A high volume of rocket fire at
Israel has originated in this area.
For your own safety, you are requested to vacate your residence immediately and
head towards Gaza City before 8:00 AM on Wednesday, July 16, 2014. The IDF does not want
to harm you or your families. The evacuation is for your own safety. You should not return
to the premises until further notice. Whoever disregards these instructions and fails to
evacuate immediately endangers their own lives, as well as those of their families.
2018 – The Gaza Demonstrations start again
A Hamas Fire Kite
Photos by Jonathan Conricus
In April 2018, in the continued attempt to breach Israel’s borders, thousands
of Gaza protesters collected at the Israel-Gaza border. The weekly violent protests led by
Hamas have included Molotov cocktails, throwing stones, and burning tires to limit
Israel’s visibility. The newest method of causing damage within Israel has been the
kite bomb (The Molotov kite), in which a fire-bomb is attached to a kite and flown over
the border. In April, one of these kite bombs landed on a warehouse in Southern Israel
causing a fire, and another landed in an open field, burning over 20 acres of grassland.
Some of the kites are embellished with a swastika.
In addition, leaflet kites with propaganda messages, written both in Arabic and
Hebrew have also been sent. The propaganda leaflets contain messages like: The Right of
Return; The Palestinians’ right to every inch of the Land of Israel; and a threat
to execute Israelis living on Palestinian soil.
Israeli plane drops leaflets warning Gaza civilians
As the conflict raged on in Gaza, Israel dropped leaflets over the city containing
warnings for Palestinian civilians. The leaflets were dropped over the city’s Rimal
neighborhood. They urged residents to stay away from Hamas militants and to report
possible rocket launches. They also gave a contact number and email address for people to
do this. Photos from the neighborhood show adults and a number of children gathering the
leaflets
An Israeli Warning Leaflet
The first protest on 30 March 2018 drew a mob of about 30,000; the protest of 21
April was down to about 3000 protesters.
A Palestinian man displays a leaflet that was airdropped by the
Israeli army over Gaza on April 20, 2018
The Israelis dropped leaflets on 20 April 2018. The leaflets said in part:
Gaza residents,
You are participating in violent disturbances. Hamas is taking advantage of you to
carry out terrorist attacks. The IDF is prepared for any scenario. Stay away from the
fence and do not attempt to damage it. Avoid using weapons and carrying out violent acts
against Israeli security forces and Israeli civilians. Keep away from terrorist elements
and groups pushing riots and violence. The IDF will take action against any attempt to
damage the barrier and its components and any other military equipment. Hamas is using you
to advance the interests of its movement. Don’t follow Hamas orders that endanger
your lives. It is possible to act differently – your future is in your hands.
Israel Defense Force
These protests were scheduled to continue until 15 May, the day after Israel first
declared statehood. In response to these violent protests, Israel dropped leaflets over
Gaza on encouraging people not to partake in the violent protests encouraged by Hamas.
Israel has used live fire against the protesters who approach the fence.
A Hamas Leaflet
One kite found in Israel had three of the same leaflets and two Palestinian flags
attached. The leaflet was in Arabic and Hebrew. The leaflet features a map of the Land of
Israel plus a key (a symbol of the Return), and the words The Hope Key. The text of
the leaflets is in Arabic and in poor Hebrew. Some of the text is:
The Return March, May 15 is our date
The land is ours and Jerusalem is ours
Another Hamas Leaflet
A Palestinian boy displays a leaflet dropped by the Israeli military at
the
Israel-Gaza border, east of Gaza City May 14, 2018.
Reuters - Mohammed Salem)
Translation of the 14 May leaflet
On 14 May 2018, Iran offered a reward of $100,000 to anyone who would blow up the new
American Embassy about to open in Jerusalem.
On the same day, the Israelis dropped large warning leaflets near their border once
again.
To the Residents of Gaza!
On 7 June, as Hamas pushed for more violent demonstrations along the border the
Israelis once again dropped leaflets. The text is:
To the Residents of Gaza!
Peace be unto you and may you have a blessed Ramadan. A wise man takes into account
the consequences of his actions ahead of time, and chooses the path whose benefits
outweigh its potential damage. If you consider this in deciding whether to approach the
security fence or cross it, you will conclude that this action is neither worthwhile and
is liable to be severely detrimental.
Therefore, for your own benefit, it is better that you not participate in the
violent riots at the fence, not attempt to breach it, and not permit Hamas to turn you
into a tool to advance its narrow agenda. Behind this agenda is Shi'ite Iran, which has
made it its mission to inflame tensions in the region for the sake of its religious and
sectarian interests. You shouldn’t let Hamas turn you into its hostages, so that it
can reap political capital at the expense of the welfare and future of Gazans in general,
and young Gazans in particular. To avoid harmful results, we urge you not to take part in
demonstrations and anarchy and not to put yourself in danger.
Hamas fighter prepares to launch a fire kite
Over 115 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire during near-weekly
demonstrations at the border. Israel has struggled with a new phenomenon of flaming kites
flown over the border into Israel. The kites have caused wildfires and extensive damage to
Israeli agricultural land nearby. The Israeli military said it has adopted the use of
drones to intercept some 500 kites and flaming balloons. The drones now have a more than
90 percent success rate in taking down the kites.
Weaponized attack Condoms
Masked protesters prepare to attach incendiary to inflated condoms
filled with
helium gas to be flown towards Israel at the Israel-Gaza border in al-Bureij.
It appears that like all weapon systems, the Hamas incendiary kites have been updated
and made more deadly. The Arab weapons-makers have now upgraded to condoms. On 21 June
2018 it was reported that:
Sometimes tied together for added buoyancy, the inflated prophylactics are attached
to gas-soaked rags, other burning items or explosive devices, and then flown over the
border like balloons into southern Israel, where they set fire to farmlands and nature
reserves. An estimated 6,000 acres have been destroyed in hundreds of blazes caused by
flaming kites, helium balloons, and now condoms, according to Israeli officials.
Hamas fake dating app
On 4 July 2018, the Israel military accused its enemy Hamas of building fake dating
apps to woo soldiers into downloading malicious software on to their mobile phones.
Hundreds of Israel Defence Forces (IDF) troops were contacted via social media this year
and asked to download one of two fake dating apps, WinkChat and GlanceLove,
according to an official in the army’s intelligence directorate. Once the bogus app
was installed, it granted its creators the ability to see the owner’s location and
contact list and to use the phone as a listening device and video camera.
The soldiers were contacted via phony Facebook accounts, often with the stolen
identities of young women, asking to chat on WhatsApp. They were then sent links to
the apps, which were listed on the Google Play store and have since been removed. A third
sham app, Golden Cup, promoted as a World Cup live scores and fixtures aid, was
advertised to soldiers in Hebrew on Facebook. The app streamed videos of impressive goals
from previous tournaments and listed details about each team.
Stop Throwing Rocks
The Palestinian Ma’an News Agency reported on 13 January 2019, Israeli
soldiers invaded the town of Tequ, east of the West Bank city of Bethlehem, forced some
stores shut, and distributed warning leaflets, threatening harsh measures and constant
invasions If the Palestinians do not stop throwing stones at army vehicles and colonialist
settlers’ cars and buses.
Similar orders were posted on walls and doors of several homes. The army told the
residents that the Palestinians who are involved in protests, and hurl stones at the
military and settlers’ vehicles and buses, will face severe punishment that would not
only impact them, but also their families. The Israeli army also threatened to withdraw
the entry permits of any persons, who were involved in stoning attacks on Israeli
settlers, as a form of collective punishment.
23 January 2019 Israeli Leaflet
In what sounds almost identical to the Tequ campaign above, the Palestinian Ma’an
News Agency reported on 23 January 2019 that The Israeli army distributed leaflets, on
Tuesday, threatening the residents of Deir Istiya village, west of the northern
occupied West Bank district of Salfit, of collective punishments under the pretext that
the residents carried out “terror attacks” against Israeli settlers in the area.
Residents of Deir Istiya told Ma'an that a large number of Israeli forces stormed
the village during the night, firing tear-gas bombs and sound grenades throughout the
village. Sources added that Israeli forces distributed threatening leaflets in multiple
areas across the village, such as residents' homes, mosques, shops, and hung them on the
doors and walls. Sources mentioned that the leaflets were distributed under the pretext
that the village is a “terrorist area” and that the residents have allegedly
carried out “terror attacks” against Israeli settlers.
Gaza Heats up Again in 2021 – An Israeli Deception
Israel's Iron Dome aerial defense system is activated to
intercept a rocket launched from Gaza on May, 12, 2021
In 2021 the Gaza fighting heated up again. It started with battles
between the Israelis and Palestinians over movement and quickly escalated to
where Hamas fired 1,700 rockets into Israel. That was quickly answered by air and artillery attacks. The Israelis Called this retaliation
Operation Guardian Walls. In what could be a black PSYOP campaign the
Israelis first said they were sending ground troops into Gaza. Apparently,
many Hamas members fled to their underground tunnels. Then the Israelis
launched a sustained attack against those tunnels killing many of the Hamas
members but not putting the Gaza civilians in danger. The objective was to
induce Hamas anti-tank missile crews to emerge from their hiding places and
begin shooting at Israeli forces, allowing their positions to be detected
and destroyed — and to trick other Palestinian fighters to stream into the
underground tunnel network, which Israel generals were confident they could
now destroy from the air.
The Israeli Defense Forces said that about 160 aircraft from 12
squadrons struck more than 150 underground targets in the northern Gaza
strips. The purpose of the strike was to “damage the strategically important
underground tunnels belonging to Hamas,” and “many kilometers” of the tunnel
was destroyed. The move comes after IDF tweeted that IDF air and ground
troops were attacking the Gaza strip, raising the possibility that a ground
war was underway. Some of the Israeli comments on the bombing are:
Israeli Defense Force fighter jets struck a tunnel shaft in the
southern Gaza Strip belonging to the Hamas terror organization, which
contained servers and military equipment. The tunnel shaft was located
adjacent to a kindergarten and a mosque, proving once again how the Hamas
terror organization deliberately places its military assets in the heart of
densely populated civilian areas. The Israeli Defense Force takes all
possible precautions to avoid harming civilians during its operational
activities.
Israeli Defense Force fighter jets struck a multi-story building in
the northern Gaza Strip, which contained a branch of a Hamas bank. The
strike dealt a significant blow to Hamas' financial administration, as this
branch was used for managing the day-to-day cash flow of Hamas and its
military wing.
An Israeli Air Force fighter jet struck a cyber-equipment storage
site in the northern Gaza Strip belonging to Hamas military intelligence.
This article is meant to be just a quick look at the PSYOP aspects of the
Israel-Hamas struggle. As always, readers with comments are encouraged to
write to the author at
sgmbert@hotmail.com.
