Operation Shield and Arrow in the Gaza Strip (Updated to 4 p.m., May 11, 2023)

Overview

• The IDF continued Operation Shield and Arrow for the third day, attacking Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) targets in the Gaza Strip. Among them were squads firing anti-tank weapons, rocket launching squads, and Jerusalem Brigades terrorist sites and operatives. The most dramatic event occurred before dawn on May 11, 2023, when the IDF attacked the hideout of the commander of the PIJ’s rocket unit. As of 2:30 p.m. on May 11, 2023, the IDF had attacked 166 terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip. The ministry of health in the Gaza Strip reported a total of 25 Palestinians killed, among them the 13 killed at the start of the operation (see Appendix).
• On the afternoon of May 10, 2023, about a day and a half after the operation began, Palestinians began firing rockets at Israel, initially attacking the Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip. However, soon afterwards they began firing longer-range rockets to attack cities in southern Israel and then the center of the country. The rocket fire caused property damage in the southern cities of Sderot and Ashqelon. After a hiatus of about eight hours, on the morning of May 11, 2023, rocket fire was renewed at the communities near the Gaza Strip, continuing into the afternoon, although not as intensively as the previous day. As of 2:30 p.m. on May 11, 2023, 547 rockets had been fired, 394 of them landing inside Israel territory.
• Before firing rockets the PIJ leadership mocked the Israeli leadership for placing the country on alert in preparation for a reaction, disrupting daily life and making civilians “tense.” During the rocket fire the PIJ emphasized that the reaction was “united” and carried out by the joint operations room of the Palestinian organizations. In an operations room announcement the military-terrorist wings of other terrorist organizations, such as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades (AAMB) and the Mujahedeen Brigades also claimed responsibility for rocket fire. In reality, most of the rockets were fired by the PIJ. Hamas announced it support the PIJ and would allow it to operate but the movement itself would not participate in the rocket attacks.^[1]
• Initially the Egyptian mediators made attempts to calm the situation, with Hamas party to the contacts. Although a ceasefire was announced on the evening of May 10, 2023, the rocket fire continued after the PIJ noted that Israel refused to meet its conditions for a ceasefire, which included stopping the targeted killings.

IDF Attacks in the Gaza Strip

• After killing three high-ranking PIJ terrorist operatives on May 9, 2023,^[2] the IDF continued attacking the Gaza Strip, targeting squads firing anti-tank weapons at civilian sites, rocket launching locations and squads, sites and facilities used by Jerusalem Brigades, and the houses of leading operatives. When the PIJ began firing rockets the IDF intensified its attacks, targeting rocket launchers. According to the IDF spokesman as of 2:30 p.m. 166 targets in the Gaza Strip had been attacked. The most important were the following (IDF spokesman):
• On the evening of May 9, 2023, an IDF force attacked an anti-tank squad in Khan Yunis (southern Gaza Strip). The squad was en route to a firing position from which it would fire anti-tank missiles at Israel. IDF aircraft monitored the squad and attacked, killing two PIJ terrorist operatives.

•  On the morning of May 10, 2023, IDF aircraft attacked a PIJ vehicle en route to a rocket launching position (IDF spokesman, May 10, 2023). According to reports, one terrorist was killed and another seriously injured.

   
Israeli Air Force attack in the Gaza Strip (Shehab Twitter account, May 10, 2023).

• On May 10, 2023, the IDF attacked the commander of the PIJ’s rocket unit; he was killed in Beit Lahia (northern Gaza Strip). He was also an operative in the joint operations room of the Palestinian “resistance” and directed rocket fire against Israel. A PIJ site for the manufacture of weapons was attacked (IDF spokesman, May 10, 2023).
•  On May 10, 2023, the IDF attacked an anti-tank missile firing position in the southern Gaza Strip. According to military assessments the position was also used by the terrorist squad attacked while driving near Khan Yunis (IDF spokesman, May 10, 2023).

• Before dawn on May 11, 2023, the Israeli Air Force attacked an apartment in a building in Khan Yunis, destroying it completely. Three bodies were removed. A short time later the PIJ’s military-terrorist wing announced the death of Ali Hassan Ghali, a member of the organization’s Military Council and in charge of its rocket unit (Jerusalem Brigades’ Telegram channel, May 11, 2023). Two other terrorist operatives were killed with him. Ghali was responsible for rocket fire at Israel, including the most recent attacks (IDF spokesman, May 11, 2023). Sources in the PIJ leadership promised a response to his death.
• After the rocket fire was renewed the IDF attacked a position from which mortar shells were fired in the Gaza Strip and other PIJ sites (IDF spokesman, May 11, 2023).

Rocket Fire

• On the afternoon of May 10, 2023, about a day and a half after the operation began, activity was noted near rocket launchers, and it was assumed the operatives were organizing to begin firing rockets. The residents of the Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip were requested to remain near their protected areas and Israeli aircraft began attacking rocket launchers in the Gaza Strip (IDF spokesman, May 10, 2023). At approximately 1:30 p.m., terrorists in the Gaza Strip began firing volleys of dozens of rockets at Israel. Initially they targeted the communities near the Gaza Strip, but quickly extended the radius of the attacks to include the cities in the southern part of the country and later the coastal area, including Tel Aviv.
• Before they began firing rockets, the PIJ and Hamas said they were pleased Israel had been anxious while waiting for their reaction, and by the preparations Israel was making for a possible response and the disruption of daily life in Israel.

• The first barrage of rocket fire did not cause damage, but the second and others caused extensive property damage. In Sderot a family home was hit in one of the first afternoon barrages. No casualties were reported. On the evening of May 10, 2023, two homes in Sderot and Ashqelon were also hit.

     
Home and vehicle Ashqelon hit by a PIJ rocket
(Twitter account of photojournalist Hassan Aslih, May 10, 2023).

• As of 2:30 p.m. on May 11, 2023, 547 rockets had been fired at Israel, 394 of them landing inside Israel territory; 175 were intercepted by the Iron Dome aerial defense system and 124 fell inside the Gaza Strip (IDF spokesman, May 11, 2023). Most of them were fired at Sderot and Ashqelon. Two volleys were fired at the Greater Tel Aviv area.
• On the morning of May 11, 2023, after an eight-hour hiatus, rocket fire was renewed. As of the late afternoon hours, it focused on the communities near the Gaza Strip, although it was less intense than the previous day.

   
Rockets fired from the Gaza Strip at Israel
(Twitter account of photojournalist Hassan Aslih, May 10, 2023).

   
Rockets fired from the Gaza Strip at Israel (Shehab and QudsN Twitter accounts, May 10, 2023)

• Magen David Adom reported 32 Israelis required medical treatment during the operation, most of them having incurred slight injuries.
• Approximately two hours after the first barrage of rockets, the joint operations room of the Palestinian organizations in the Gaza Strip issued an announcement claiming they had carried out “the revenge of the free men” by striking Israel with hundreds of rockets in response to “the targeted killings of Jerusalem Brigades commanders.” Despite the announcement and the PIJ sources’ continual claims that the response was “unified, coordinated and agreed on by the joint operations room,” in reality the overwhelming majority of the rockets were fired by PIJ operatives while Hamas, for reasons of its own, did not join them.
• Somewhat later the joint operations room issued another announcement, this one claiming that the “revenge of the free men’s” rocket fire targeting the “Zionist entity” had included Tel Aviv and was a response to the killing of PIJ leaders and civilians in the Gaza Strip. The announcement called targeting civilian buildings and killing PIJ operatives “a red line” (joint operations room Telegram channel, May 10, 2023).
• In the meantime, the military-terrorist wings of the PFLP wing, the AAMB, the DFLP and the Mujahedeen Brigades issued a video documenting rocket fire. The PFLP also reported the deaths of four of its rocket and artillery unit operatives (PFLP military-terrorist wing Telegram channel, May 10, 2023).

Contacts for a ceasefire

• Even before the rocket fire began, contacts were made, mediated by Egypt, to reach a ceasefire. Palestinian sources reported that the PIJ refused to speak to the Egyptian mediators about a future ceasefire with Israel, claiming the organization had no intention of “remaining silent” and that the reaction would be swift and sudden (Ra’i al-Yawm, May 10, 2023). A “PIJ source” said the decision to respond to the killing of the three Jerusalem Brigades commanders was in the hands of the operatives in the field. He said they would not respond favorably to efforts to restore calm until Israel had paid for its “crimes” (al-‘Ahad, May 10, 2023).
• Contacts continued more intensively when the rocket fire began. The Egyptians informed Israel that the PIJ was not interested in escalation and the round of rocket fire would end after a few hours. They also reported that the PIJ was prepared to commit to a lull. The ceasefire was supposed to go into effect on the evening of May 10, 2023, and Hamas representatives were involved in the ceasefire contacts. Taher al-Nunu, Isma’il Haniyeh’s media advisor, claimed Haniyeh was in contact with Egypt, Qatar and the UN (Hamas Telegram channel, May 10, 2023).
• Despite the contacts and attempts to reach a ceasefire, the rocket fire continued. Palestinian sources claimed Israel was responsible for the delay because it refused to meet all the PIJ’s conditions, including a commitment not to carry out further targeted killings (al-Akhbar, May 10, 2023). Muhammad al-Hindi, a member of the PIJ’s political bureau, claimed Israel’s commitment to end its policy of targeted killings was delaying the lull agreement. He said efforts would continue but it was too early to talk about reaching an agreement. The PIJ also threatened that if Israel did not agree to its demands they would increase the range of the rocket fire (al-Mayadeen, May 10, 2023).
• On May 11, 2023, according to reports, Muhammad al Hindi would to go Cairo to discuss recent developments (Sawa, May 11, 2023). Reportedly, Cairo had invited PIJ leader Ziyad al-Nakhalah but the organization decided to send al-Hindi instead (al-Araby al-Jadeed, May 11, 2023).

The situation in the Gaza Strip

• The ministry of health in Gaza reported that 25 Palestinians had been killed since the beginning of the operation (13 on the night it began) and 76 had been wounded; their names were not revealed. Palestinian organizations which in the past had published the names of Gazans killed refrained from publishing them this time, possibly because some of them were victims of failed rocket launches which landed in the Gaza Strip instead of Israel.
• Hamas’ media information bureau published an infographic of the damages in the Gaza Strip showing that five buildings had been destroyed, for a total of 19 dwelling units, and 314 dwelling units had been damaged, 28 of which were unfit for human habitation. Hamas reported that the power station’s fuel reserves were about to run out, which would influence the supply of electricity to hospital and water and sewage pumps. The private sector was also affected, since fishermen could not go out to sea, and chicken coops and fields had been damaged (Hamas’ media information bureau, May 11, 2023).
• The Gazan electric company warned there would be changes in the supply of electricity because fuel had not been delivered since the crossings had been closed (Felesteen, May 10, 2023).
•   The Popular Refugee Committees called on UNRWA to activate its emergency program in the Gaza Strip, to operate its medical facilities and open its food warehouses. The committees also called on UNRWA to protect the Palestinians and act in the international arena to prevent the situation in the Gaza Strip from deteriorating (Ma’an, May 10, 2023).

   
Hamas police forces deployed in the empty streets of the Gaza Strip (Facebook page of the ministry of the interior in the Gaza Strip, May 10, 2023).

Reactions

Palestinian reactions

• Leading PIJ figure Khamis al-Haitham claimed Israel’s policy of killing the heads of the organization would not lead Israel to victory and “exposed its weakness.” He said the death of Ali Hassan Ghali, a member of the PIJ’s Military Council and commander of its rocket unit, would not stop it from attacking, and it had the capability to extend its activities (al-Mayadeen, May 11, 2023).
• Abu Ali Shahin, a member of the PIJ’s political bureau, said the “resistance” would not remain silent in the face of attacks on its operatives and that “blood would be answered with blood and killing with killing.” He claimed the ongoing rocket fire “proved” Israel was lying when it claimed it had dealt the organization a decisive blow (Filastin al-Yawm, May 11, 2023).
• Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said Isma’il Haniyeh was deliberating about the situation. He claimed the joint operations room’s activity had revealed the extent of its unanimity and joint national activity. He also said Hamas had good relations with the PIJ (al-Aqsa, May 11, 2023).
• Leading Hamas figure Isma’il Radwan said the killing of Ali Ghassan, commander of the Jerusalem Brigades’ rocket unit, would not bring Israel security, and the response to the “crime” and the attacks on buildings would be the increase of the “resistance” [terrorist attacks] against Israel (@Gazaps2 Twitter account May 11, 2023; and Tasnim, May 11, 2023).

Emergency Arab League meeting

• The Arab League held an emergency meeting to discuss Israel’s attacks in the Gaza Strip. The League said in its summary statement that it stood in full solidarity with the Palestinian people and supported their firm stance in the face of Israel’s “aggression.” They condemned the “aggression” and “Israel’s siege and crimes,” and called on the International Criminal Court in The Hague to complete its investigation into Israel’s war crimes and crimes against humanity against the Palestinian people (Arab League Twitter account, May 10, 2023).

Lebanon

• Samer Hajj, a correspondent for the al-Manar network, reported that UNIFIL had reinforced its presence in south Lebanon, especially in the region where rockets were fired at Israel on April 6, 2023 (Samer Hajj’s Twitter account, May 9, 2023).

    
Joint Lebanese army-UNIFIL patrols in south Lebanon following the escalation in the Gaza Strip (al-Hadath TV, Lebanon, May 10, 2023).

• Hezbollah issued an announcement offering condolences on the deaths of the three PIJ commanders. Hezbollah appealed to humanitarian and international organization and to the governments “around the globe” to take a stance worthy of their status and operate “against the crime.” Hezbollah announced its full solidarity with its PIJ “brothers” and said it fully, sincerely supported all possibilities and any measures the organization might take to protect itself and the other Palestinian organizations to deter the “Zionist enemy” and protect the Palestinian people and its holy places (al-‘Ahad, May 9, 2023).
• Hezbollah deputy secretary general Na’im Qassem related to the IDF activity in a speech he gave in Nabatieh in south Lebanon. He attacked Israel for killing the commanders in their houses and killing their wives and children. He added that they fully supported all the Palestinian organizations and stood by them to react and confront [Israel] (al-‘Ahad, May 9, 2023).

Appendix

Palestinian fatalities

• The ministry of health in Gaza reported that 25 Palestinians had been killed since the beginning of the operation (13 on the first night) and 76 had been wounded. As opposed to former practice, their names were not revealed.^[3] Information about them is as follows:
• On the afternoon of May 9, 2023, IDF aircraft attacked an anti-tank squad in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip which was en route to a firing position (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, May 9, 2023). Two PIJ terrorist operatives were killed:
  • Saed Jawad Abd Ferwana: The IDF spokesman reported he was an operative in the anti-tank squad which carried out attacks during Operation Guardian of the Walls and was involved in a series of recent attempts to carry shoot anti-tank missiles (IDF Twitter account, May 10, 2023). According to Palestinian sources he was 28 years old (@Pal_Shaheed Twitter account, May 9, 2023)^[4] from the town of al-Qarara near Khan Yunis (al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, May 9, 2023). The mourning notice issued by his family called him a jihad fighter (Ferwana family Facebook page, May 9, 2023).^[5] Videos and pictures from the funerals in Khan Yunis show only the body of Saed Ferwana wrapped for burial in a PIJ flag.
  • Wa’el Muhammad Sabri Uthman al-Agha: The IDF spokesman reported he was an operative in the anti-tank squad in Khan Yunis which had been involved in attempts to fire anti-tank missiles during Operation Breaking Dawn (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, May 10, 2023). According to Palestinian sources he was 34 years old (al-Aga family website, May 9, 2023).^[6] He lived in the Ma’an neighborhood of Khan Yunis (al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, May 9, 2023).^[7]

    
Right: Saed Ferwana (right) and Wa’el al-Agha (al-Aga family website, May 9, 2023). Left: The body of Saed Ferwana wrapped for burial in a PIJ flag (Facebook page of journalist Tareq Abu Ashaq, May 10, 2023).

• On May 10, 2023, a missile was fired from a UAV in Abasan al-Kabira, east of Khan Yunis (al-Mezan Center for Human Rights).^[8] The Abu Ali Mustafa Battalions, the military-terrorist wing on the PFLP, reported the attack killed two operatives in its rocket unit (Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades Telegram channel, May 10, 2023).^[9] They were:
  • Muhammad Yousef Saleh Abu Ta’ima: 23 years old from Abasan al-Kabira (al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, May 10, 2023; Facebook page of the Abasan al-Kabira municipality, May 10, 2023).^[10]
  • Alaa Maher Yassin Abu Ta’ima: Appears in the media as Alaa Maher Baraka, 27 years old from Abasan al-Kabira (Facebook pages of Bassam Salah (a relative) and the Abasan al-Kabira municipality, May 10, 2023).^[11]

• At 3:10 p.m., a UAV fired a missile at Palestinians in the Abu Halawa area in the town of al-Shouka east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip (al-Mezan Center for Human Rights website, May 10, 2023).^[13] The Abu Ali Mustafa Battalions reported the attack killed two operatives of its artillery unit (Abu Ali Mustafa Battalions Telegram channel, May 10, 2023). They were:
  • Alam al-Din Samir Tawfiq Abdul Aziz: 23 years old, from Rafah (al-Mezan Center for Human Rights website, May 10, 2023).
  • Karm Hussein Saidam: 26 years old, from Rafah (al-Mezan Center for Human Rights website, May 10, 2023).

• Ali Hassan Ghali (Abu Muhammad): Before dawn on May 11, 2023, IDF planes attacked the hideout in Khan Yunis where Ali Hassan Ghali, the commander of the PIJ’s rocket unit was staying. According to reports, two other PIJ terrorist operatives in the hideout were also killed. Ghali was responsible for directing rocket fire attacking Israel during Operation Shield and Arrow, Operation Guardian of the Walls and Operation Breaking Dawn. He was one of the organization’s most important figures (IDF spokesman’s Twitter account, May 11, 2023). The Jerusalem Brigades issued a mourning notice for Ali Hassan Ghali (Abu Muhammad), a member of the Jerusalem Brigades’ Revolution Council and commander of its rocket unit (Jerusalem Brigades Telegram channel, May 11, 2023).^[14] He was 50 years old (al-Mezan Center for Human Rights website, May 11, 2023).^[15]

   
Right: Ali Hassan Ghali (Jerusalem Brigades Telegram channel, May 11, 2023). Left: The hideout in Khan Yunis (Palestine Post Twitter account, May 11, 2023).

• Ali Hassan Ghali was born in Khan Yunis and joined the PIJ in the early 1990s. After joining the Jerusalem Brigades he was one of the first to enter the “suicide bomber forces.” He was one of the founders of the rocket unit and since 2002 had participated in firing them. He supervised rocket launches and the training of rocket unit operatives. He also oversaw the launching of Fajr-5 rockets in 2012. In addition, he was considered brilliant and technically creative, and outstanding in fashioning mobile and stationary rocket launchers. In 2010 he was appointed as deputy to Khaled Mansour, the commander of the PIJ’s rocket unit, and replaced him when he was killed in August 2022. He has been a member of the Jerusalem Brigades’ Military Council since 2019. He survived several attempts on his life, the most serious during Operation Guardian of the Walls in 2021, in which he was wounded. His house was attacked several times in recent years. His brother Muhammad is serving a term of 25 years for participation in terrorist attacks (Palinfo, May 11, 2023).^[16]
• Killed along with him were:
  • Muhammad Hassan Muhammad Ghali: 23 years old; Ali Hassan Ghali’s brother (al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, May 11, 2023).
  • Mahmoud Walid Muhammad Abd al-Jawad (Mansour): 26 years old (al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, May 11, 2023). Nephew of Ali and Muhammad Ghali. From Rafah (Paldf Twitter account, May 11; 2023, @abseadi216564 Twitter account, May 11, 2023).^[17]

   
Right: Muhammad Ghali (@Pal_Shaheed Twitter account, May 11, 2023). Left: Mahmoud Ghali Mansour (Facebook page of the Bilal Mansour family, May 11, 2023).

• The al-Mezan Center for Human Rights reported other deaths. However, contrary to deaths specifically reported as having been caused by Israeli attacks, their deaths were attributed to failed rocket launches in which the rockets fell inside the Gaza Strip:
  • Ahmed Muhammad Ghanmi al-Shubaki (Abu Abdallah): 51 years old. Reportedly, he was killed when an Iron Dome aerial defense system interception fell on his house near the al-Waem Charitable Association in the northern Gaza Strip (Yasmi al-Saraj’s Facebook page, May 10, 2023).^[18] He was a Fatah operative and an officer in the Palestinian Authority police (Fatah’s media information and cultural commission Twitter account, May 10, 2023).^[19]

• • Liyan Bilal Madoukh: 10 years old. She was reportedly killed on May 10, 2023, in an attack in the al-Tufah neighborhood of Gaza City (Wafa, May 10, 2023).^[20]
  • Yazen Jawdat Fathi Alian: 17 (or 20) years old (@Pal_Shaheed Twitter account, May 11, 2023; Abu Obeida Riyan’s Twitter account, May 10, 2023).^[21] Reportedly, he was killed on May 10, 2023, in an attack on al-Sahaba street in Gaza City (Abu Obeida Riyan’s Twitter account, May 10, 2023).

^[1] An unverified Iranian opposition website reported that Iran exerted pressure on Hamas to join the PIJ, reminding Hamas of the funding it received from Iran. According to the report, the Iranian demand led to disagreements within the Hamas leadership. Some leading figures argued the price the civilian population and the Gaza Strip's economy would pay, and the possibility that Israel would also target members of the Hamas leadership if the movement fired rockets (Iran International, May 10, 2023). ↑
^[2] For further information see "Operation Shield and Arrow in the Gaza Strip – Initial Reactions as of May 9, 4 p.m." ↑
^[3] For further information see "Operation Shield and Arrow in the Gaza Strip – Initial Reactions as of May 9, 4 p.m." ↑
^[4] https://twitter.com/Pal_Shaheed/status/1656001582255730688 ↑
^[5] https://www.facebook.com/groups/FerwanaFamily/posts/2317286531812736/ ↑
^[6] https://elagha.net/ ↑
^[7] https://mezan.org/ar/post/45890 ↑
^[8] https://mezan.org/ar/post/45892 ↑
^[9] https://t.me/kataebabuali/9951https://t.me/kataebabuali/9953 ↑
^[10] https://www.facebook.com/ ↑
^[11] https://www.facebook.com/ ↑
^[12] https://t.me/kataebabuali/9953 ↑
^[13] https://mezan.org/ar/post/45903 ↑
^[14] https://t.me/sarayaps/14418 https://t.me/sarayaps/14417 ↑
^[15] https://mezan.org/ar/post/45910 ↑
^[16] https://palinfo.com/news/2023/05/11/835907/ ↑
^[17] https://twitter.com/paldf/status/1656558425008996352 https://twitter.com/abweadi216564/status/1656566032427802624 ↑
^[18] https://www.facebook.com/ ↑
^[19] https://twitter.com/fatehgmic/status/1656302074596868097 ↑
^[20] https://www.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/70937 ↑
^[21] https://twitter.com/Pal_Shaheed/status/1656341797621071879https://twitter.com/RyaanGaza/status/1656339972029284353 ↑

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