Dissecting IDF propaganda: The numbers behind the rocket attacks

In this brief study, I examine the many numbers cited by the Israeli military relating to Gaza rocket attacks into Israel.

To begin, Israeli spokespeople frequently remind the world that a million Israeli citizens are within range of Gaza rockets, twelve thousand of which have been fired into Israel in the last twelve years, inflicting thousands of injuries and several dead.

However, we are rarely told exactly how many people have been killed by these rocket attacks.

Counting the dead

Below is a list of all the fatalities of rocket and mortar attacks fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel in the entire history of these attacks. Throughout the years of rocket attacks into Israel, a total of 26 people have been killed altogether.

Fatalities from rocket and mortar attacks in Israel from the Gaza Strip

Date of attack	Name	Age	Location	Weapon
2004.06.28	Mordechai Yosephov	49	Sderot	Qassam
2004.06.28	Afik Ohion Zehavi	4	Sderot	Qassam
2004.09.29	Yuval Abebeh	4	Sderot	Qassam
2004.09.29	Dorit (Masarat) Benisian	2	Sderot	Qassam
2005.01.15	Ayala-Haya Abukasis	17	Sderot	Qassam
2005.07.15	Dana Gelkowitz	22	Moshav Nativ Ha‘asara	Qassam
2006.03.28	Salam Ziadin*	?	Nahal Oz	Qassam‡
2006.03.28	Khalid Ziadin*	16	Nahal Oz	Qassam‡
2006.11.15	Faina Slutzker	57	Sderot	Qassam
2006.11.21	Yaakov Yaakobov	43	Sderot	Qassam
2007.05.21	Shirel Friedman	32	Sderot	Qassam
2007.05.27	Oshri Oz	36	Sderot	Qassam
2008.02.27	Roni Yihye	47	Sderot	Qassam
2008.05.09	Jimmy Kedoshim	48	Kibbutz Kfar Aza	mortar
2008.05.12	Shuli Katz	70	Moshav Yesha	Qassam
2008.06.05	Amnon Rosenberg	51	Kibbutz Nir-Oz	mortar
2008.12.27	Beber Vaknin	58	Netivot	Qassam
2008.12.29	Lutfi Nasraladin*†	38	IDF base near Nahal Oz	mortar
2008.12.29	Irit Sheetrit	39	Ashdod	Grad
2008.12.29	Hani al Mahdi*	27	Ashkelon	Grad
2010.03.18	Manee Singueanphon*	30	Moshav Nativ Ha‘asara	Qassam
2011.08.20	Yossi Shushan	38	Be’er sheva	Grad
2011.10.29	Moshe Ami	56	Ashkelon	Grad
2012.11.15	Yitzchak Amsalem	24	Kiryat Malachi	rocket
2012.11.15	Mira Sharf	25	Kiryat Malachi	rocket
2012.11.15	Aharon Smadja	49	Kiryat Malachi	rocket
Total fatalities in the history of rocket and mortar attacks from Gaza into Israel: 26
Operation Cast Lead: December 27, 2008–January 18, 2009
Operation Pillar of Cloud: November 14, 2012–

(Refer to the bottom of the page for notes and sources.)

The shaded rows in the table refer to fatalities sustained during Operation Cast Lead (December 27, 2008–January 18, 2009) and Operation Pillar of Cloud(November 14, 2012–).

Note that of the 26 fatalities from rocket and mortar attacks, more than one out of every four deaths occurred during these two operations, which were ostensibly designed to deter rocket attacks. More