| Qassam Rocket |
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Information AboutQassam Rocket |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT QASSAM ROCKET | |
| al-aqsa intifada | |
| hamas | |
| palestinian islamic jihad | |
| fatah | |
| rocket artillery | |
| palestinian mortars | |
| gaza strip | |
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The Qassam rocket is a simple steel Rocket filled with explosives, developed by the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas . Three models have been used. All three models lack a Guidance System . The Gaza Strip —where all but one of the Qassams have been launched from—is surrounded by a well-guarded Security Barrier and has made it difficult for Palestinian militants based there to launch attacks inside Israel. In response to this, they developed the Qassam, which is intended to travel over the barrier and strike targets in Israel. HISTORY OF THE QASSAM Qassam rockets are named after the Izz Ad-din Al-Qassam Brigades, the pro-forma military branch of Hamas . According to the Hamas, the Qassam rocket was first developed by Nidal Fat'hi Rabah Farahat and produced under the direction of Adnan Al-Ghoul , known as the "Father of the Qassam," who was killed by the Israeli army in October 2004. Qassams were first fired at Israeli targets in October 2001 . However, due to their small range, all landed inside the Gaza Strip. The first Qassam to land in Israeli territory was launched on February 10 , 2002 . The first time an Israeli city was hit was on March 5 , 2002, when two rockets struck Sderot . Israeli cities and towns have been the main target of Qassams. In some areas, such as Sderot and some Israeli Settlement s in Gaza , shelling occurred frequently. However, they rarely caused any injuries, mostly landing in open areas. The first kill from a Qassam occurred on June 28 , 2004 . In August 2003 , a Qassam traveled five miles from the Gaza Strip into Israel and landed near Ashkelon , the farthest a Qassam rocket has penetrated. Another rocket landed near Ashkelon on December 15 , 2005 . Other Israeli communities in the Negev to have been hit by Qassam rockets include Or HaNer, Nirim, and Nahal Oz. On December 26 , 2005 , The military wing of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades , claimed it possesses "Grad" missiles with a range of 25 kilometers (about 15 miles), and that it could hit southern Israel communities previously immune to rocket threat. The group claimed, however, that it will not launch the rockets unless the IDF attacks the Gaza Strip or Assassinates one of their leaders. Reaction Despite the Qassam's meager characteristics as a rocket, its use shocked the Israeli army and public, who are used to the Palestinians lacking any method of long-range warfare. Hezbollah , in contrast, has long shelled Israel from Lebanon using the Katyusha rocket, hitting cities as well as farms and military targets in the sparsely populated northern border zone. So far, as of 2005 , most of the launches are carried out by Hamas from the Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun . Israel has tried to stop the development and manufacture of such rockets by extensive crackdowns on terrorists, including Targeted Killing s, and by the destruction of facilities (such as metal shops) which are, or could be used for their construction. It has also destroyed the family homes of many Palestinians involved in the construction or firing of rockets. Qassam launches have also been the Catalyst for a number of large-scale Israeli raids on Gaza, such as Operation Days Of Penitence in October 2004 . In November 2005 , the press reported that the Israel Defense Forces would be purchasing Skyshield , a Swiss -designed rapid fire Anti-aircraft defense system specifically to counter any future Qassam attack. Navy response On March 29 , 2006 , IDF vessels shelled rocket launching sites in the Gaza Strip for the first time. the IDF has been directing artillery shells at areas in Gaza used by rocket launching cells, mostly in the northern part of the Strip, in a bid to deter terror cells from operating there. In the course of these bombardments, which in some cases lasted hours at a time, dozens of shells were launched. The IDF has ensured the fire is very accurate and never aimed at populated areas, in order to refrain from hurting uninvolved Palestinian civilians. {Link without Title} West Bank fears A particular concern for the Israelis is the development of longer range Qassam missiles that if fielded by Hamas in the West Bank would be used to strike at the cities in the country's coastal heartland (Israel is a very narrow strip of land). Numerous attempts have been made to transfer the production of the rockets to the West Bank, but most have failed, as there have been no rocket attacks from that region. On , an Israeli operation in the West Bank town of Nablus uncovered explosive labs which were producing Qassam rockets {Link without Title} . On April 9 , 2006 , The elite Duvdevan Battalion killed Tanzim fugitive Jabar Akhras in Bethlehem after he opened fire on them during an arrest operation. Akhras personally murdered two Israeli soldiers on November 18, 2003, and has been the leading figure in attempting to build Qassams in the West Bank. KATYUSHA FEARS On March 28 , 2006 , Islamic Jihad fired a 122mm Katyusha rocket (2.8 meters long, weighed 66 kilograms and carries a 17-kilogram warhead), a much longer-range projectile than the Qassam, from the Gaza Strip into Israel. Katyushas have never before been fired from the Palestinian controlled areas. It is believed that it was apparently orchestrated by Iran and Hezbollah . Islamic Jihad spokesman Abu Abdullah claimed that hundreds of these rockets were smuggled into the Strip by ship across the Gaza-Egypt border from Sinai . Israeli officials downplayed Islamic Jihad's announcement and said the terror group was in possession of only "a small amount" of Katyushas. {Link without Title} It caused no injuries or damage, but the IDF believes that this could be the beginning of a new era of rockets fired at Israel, replacing highly inaccurate Qassam rockets with Katyushas. (Source: {Link without Title} ). It also raised fears that Gaza-based terror groups might have obtained additional weaponry, including anti-aircraft missiles. LIST OF NOTABLE QASSAM ATTACKS On June 28 , 2004 , the first fatal Qassam rocket attack occurred in Sderot, when rockets launched by Hamas killed two Israelis. On September 29 , 2004 , a Qassam rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit the southern Israeli town of Sderot, killing two Israeli children. It was the second fatal Qassam rocket attack. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack. On October 3 , 2004 , Mahadi Mushtaha, a senior member of the Qassam production and development team in the Gaza Strip was killed by an Israeli targeted assassination. Mushtaha, a resident of the Jabalia refugee camp, was alleged to have been the manager of workshops and labs producing components of the Qassam rockets. {Link without Title} On January 21 , 2005 , the fifth Israeli died from wounds sustained during a Qassam rocket attack in Sderot. On . On July 14 , 2005 , Dana Galkovitch, a 22-year-old Israeli, was killed in a Qassam attack in the Netiv Ha'asara kibbutz, just north of the Gaza Strip {Link without Title} On September 12 , 2005 , a Qassam rocket hit an Israeli town, following the Gaza Pullout . On September 23 , 2005 , at least 3 Qassam rockets were shot from the Gaza Strip, hitting the Israeli town of Sderot. {Link without Title} On September 24 , 2005 , five Israelis were injured when Palestinian terrorists launched about 30 rockets on Israeli communities from the Gaza Strip. This attack followed an incident the previous day, in which 20 Palestinians, including 16 civilians, were killed when a vehicle carrying Qassam rockets exploded during a Hamas rally in Jabalya. The exact circumstances surrounding the incident are still unknown. To date, no evidence has been found to substantiate Hamas’ claim that Israeli interference was responsible for the accident. {Link without Title} In mid-December 2005 , a Qassam rocket hit near the moshav of Ram-on , part of the Ta'anachim group of agricultural villages outside the northern town of Afula. On December 26 , 2005 , a Qassam rocket landed at a very small distance from a kindergarten during a Chanukah party at kibbutz Sa'ad . {Link without Title} February 3 , 2006 , a Qassam rocket struck a family's house in the western Negev village of Kibbutz Karmiya , moderately injuring four people, icluding a 7-month-old baby. {Link without Title} On March 28 , 2006 , in a direct hit, a Qassam rocket killed two Israeli-Arab shepherds in Kibbutz Nachal Oz . This incident was at first falsly reported as being a loose IDF shell that exploded. Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility. {Link without Title} On March 29 , 2006 , the Israeli Navy heavily shells Qassam launching sites in Northern Gaza. {Link without Title} On March 30 , 2006 , Two Qassam rockets landed Kibbutz Karmiya , south of Ashkelon . One of them hitting a soccer field, lightly injuring one person and damaging a parked car. Only hours before the attack, children ended a soccer game at the field. QASSAM ROCKET MODELS Similar rockets Other Palestinian armed groups also developed home-made rockets, but they are much less common than Hamas' Qassam rocket. The media frequently refer to all Palestinian high-trajectory rockets as "Qassam rockets" or "Qassam missiles," as it refers to most rockets fired from Lebanon as " Katyusha s."
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