Nearly all Gaza civilian casualties in latest conflict killed by Palestinian rockets

Most of the deaths of Gaza civilians were the result of errant rocket fire from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, not by the Israeli air strikes over the weekend. No other country in the world takes as much pain and precaution to limit so-called collateral damage, as does Israel.

“There were more Palestinian casualties from failed rocket launches than IDF attacks,” the army said in a statement. “Some 900 rockets crossed into Israeli territory; 830 of them were intercepted by the Iron Dome for a success rate of over 95%.”

According to Palestinian figures cited by the Jerusalem Post, a total of 35 Palestinians in Gaza were killed during the 66-hour Operation Breaking Dawn.

Of the 35, nine were terrorists, all affiliated with Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). According to the IDF, Israeli airstrikes blew away the terror group’s top commanders.

Of the 26 civilians killed, 16 were killed by misfiring PIJ rockets. PIJ and Hamas keep rocket launchers, weapons storage sites, terror tunnels and command and control facilities in close proximity to civilian homes, schools, health care centers and mosques because they know the IDF will not target them as they are in civilian areas. But the PIJ targets civilian areas, even schools and places of worship with impunity.

Many Gazans have expressed anger at PIJ for killing civilians and embedding itself in populated areas. These people are known as "normal individuals."

In one particular incident, five children were killed when a PIJ rocket struck a home in Jabaliya on Saturday night. The Palestinians sought to blame Israel, but the IDF released footage showing a barrage of rockets being fired from the Strip. One can be seen falling shortly after the launch. [see video below]

Nine hundred rockets flew into Israel over the weekend. Of these, 610 landed harmlessly into the sea or in open areas; 380 were intercepted by Iron Dome, a defense system. No Israelis were killed by PIJ rocket fire but over 100 properties suffered damage, according to Israel’s Tax Authority.

Israel struck 170 targets, including senior PIJ leaders, terror tunnels and weapons facilities, the IDF reported.

The shooting began in Gaza when Israel arrested Basam al-Saadi, the PIJ's chief of operations in Judea and Samaria, on Monday night in Jenin.

Saadi “worked even harder to restore PIJ activities, and was behind the creation of a significant military force for the organization in [Samaria] in general and in Jenin in particular,” the Shin Bet security agency said. 

Of course Israel was going to arrest him if they could get their hands on him, and they did.

So they got ready for retaliation from Gaza and closed roads and train service near the Gaza Strip and went on high alert, expecting rocket fire and sniper attacks on civilians, because that is how they roll. Gaza terror groups have previously fired guided anti-tank missiles into Israel as well.

* * *

 Consider subscribing to Brain Flushings and please check out the ads on these pages. It costs nothing to subscribe and it's worth every penny. And remember, every time you click on an ad, you help in the fight against Communism, ignorance, The New York Times, and the heebie-jeebies.

* * *

Israeli airstrikes began on Friday afternoon when the PIJ showed no signs of backing down from its threats of revenge.

An Egyptian-brokered truce went into effect on Sunday night. On Monday morning, Israel began opening roads near the Strip and resumed train service between Sderot and Ashkelon.

Tweet