While immediately following Operation Pillar of Defense Hamas leaders in Gaza announced their victory over Israel, December 2012 passed without a single rocket being fired into Israel, a first since the government expulsion of Jews from Gaza in the summer of 2005.

According to statistics released by the ISA (Israel Security Agency – Shin Bet) this is a significant accomplishment when one considers that during the calendar month following Operation Cast Lead 47 rockets were fired into Israel, while after the latest counter-terrorism offensive in Gaza, Pillar of Defense, there were no rockets fired in the calendar month following the ceasefire.

The statistics report there were 17 rockets fired from Gaza into southern Israel in 2002. That number jumped to 123 in 2003 and 276 in 2004. The number did not change radically in 2005, with a total of 286 rockets.

2006 however saw a dramatic change, with 1,247 rockets fired into Israel, representing a 436% increase from 2005, showing clearly the expulsion of the Jews from Gaza resulted in a sharp increase in rocket attacks based on Shin Bet statistics.

In short, since the implementation of the expulsion, dubbed by Ariel Sharon as “The Disengagement”, southern Israeli residents lived with the nightmare of almost daily rocket fire from Gaza. In 2007 there were 938 rockets and in 2008 that number climbed to 1,270. 2009 brought a significant reduction in rocket fire due to Operation Cast Lead with a total of 404. In 2010 there were 419 rockets and 601 in 2011.

In 2012, 1,893 rockets were fired into Israel including 1,506 fired during Operation Pillar of Defense.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)