Hamas launches rocket near Tel Aviv
An Israeli military spokesman has said that a stream of rocket misfires by Hamas and Islamic Jihad have killed hundreds throughout Gaza since the war between Israel and Hamas began earlier this month.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Daniel Hagari said on Saturday: “They are killing their own people.”
Hagari said that one-fifth of rockets fired by Hamas and Islamic Jihad have missed intended targets and killed civilians in Gaza.
That number amounts to more than 550 rockets misfired, he said.
This comes roughly four days after the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City was struck by a misfired rocket on Tuesday, leaving hundreds dead.
Hamas immediately claimed the hospital was attacked by an Israeli airstrike, but Israel has provided evidence that it was hit by an errant missile launched by terrorists in Gaza.
A video that has gone viral on social media appears to show the missile striking a nearby parking lot to the hospital, leading to many conflicting claims of who was responsible, where the missile struck, and how many people died.
After an investigation, Israel said the rocket was misfired by Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a foreign terrorist organization backed by Iran.
IDF officials said: “An analysis of IDF operational systems indicates that a barrage of rockets was fired by terrorists in Gaza, passing in close proximity to the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza at the time it was hit.
“Intelligence from multiple sources we have in our hands indicates that Islamic Jihad is responsible for the failed rocket launch which hit the hospital in Gaza.”
During his trip to Israel on Wednesday, President Biden confirmed that the Pentagon supported Israel’s assertion that the rocket originated in Gaza.
According to Joe Truzman, a research analyst for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Long War Journal, the string of misfires is a result of “Hamas and other groups like Islamic Jihad” having to “make do with the material they have,” he told Fox News.
Truzman added: “Iran is the chief supporter of several Palestinian armed groups, including other bad actors across the region.
“The regime in Iran funds, arms, and supports its network of proxies and clients. The caveat with Palestinian groups in Gaza and the West Bank is that Iran is not able to transfer advanced weapons without the Israelis thwarting it.”
- Advert-free experience without interruptions.
- Rocket-fast speedy loading pages.
- Exclusive & Unlimited access to all our content.
Truzman added: “Iran has likely been able to get some weapons through, but it’s a difficult task. Because of this hurdle, the Iranians focus on arming Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and other Palestinian terrorist organizations with the know-how to build weapons.
“With this knowledge, Hamas is able to locally produce rockets, mortars, drones, and other weapons, While this knowledge has its advantages in the war against Israel, Hamas and other groups like Islamic Jihad have to make do with the material they have.”
The IDF released a chart last week showing an increasing number of Hamas and Islamic Jihad rockets that have failed upon launch and landed in the Gaza Strip.
Almost 13 percent of the rockets fired toward Israel on October 17 landed in Gaza.
Truzman said there have been so many misfires because the terrorists have likely not “perfected” the process of developing efficient rockets with reliable materials.
He said: “While Hamas and other groups have learned how to self-produce rockets, it certainly doesn’t mean they have perfected it, and this is likely the reason why we are witnessing some of these rockets landing inside the Gaza Strip.”
At least 4,600 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Hamas’ attack on Israel, and more than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed.
Follow our social media accounts here on facebook.com/ExpressUSNews and @expressusnews
Source: Read Full Article