Israel continues to facilitate the transfer of aid to Gaza residents.
Leaders from across the aisle support Israel.
AIPAC applauds the more than 100 bipartisan congressional leaders and elected officials from across the country who continue to stand firmly in support of Israel's quest for peace and back the Jewish state's right to defend its citizens from the ongoing attacks of the Iranian-backed terrorist group Hamas. House and Senate leaders issued strong statements of support of Israel's operation this past week – including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), as well as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) – all expressing staunch support for Israel and their effort to defend against Hamas terrorists in Gaza. Those statements echoed President Bush's steadfast support of Israel's defensive operation in his weekly radio address this past Sunday and similar comments by several advisors to President-elect Barack Obama. AIPAC strongly supports American diplomatic efforts to achieve a durable and sustainable outcome which brings an end to the smuggling of deadly weapons into Gaza and ensures a complete halt of rocket attacks on Israeli civilians. Click here to view a complete list of statements in support of Israel's right to self-defense, or urge your member of Congress to stand with Israel.
Israeli troops defend their nation from deadly Hamas rockets.
Israel expanded its ground operation into the Gaza Strip on Monday, working to destroy Hamas' ability to fire rockets at Israeli civilians and to demolish weapons smuggling tunnels along the Gaza-Egypt border, the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz reported. According to Israeli Military Intelligence, Israel's Operation Cast Lead has destroyed one-third of the Hamas' rocket arsenal, wiped out many of the Iranian-backed terrorist group's weapons factories and shut down dozens of tunnels. Head of Military Intelligence, General Amos Yadlin, said Hamas had taken "a serious blow, we killed hundreds of terrorists and damaged their ability to build weaponry." A New York Times report said anywhere between 75 and 90 percent of those killed in Israel's operation were Hamas terrorists. Still, some 30 rockets and mortars pounded southern Israel on Monday, including one barrage on a kindergarten in Ashkelon. Since Israel's ground operation began, one Israeli soldier has been killed and dozens wounded.
Four Israelis were killed and dozens more wounded this week as Hamas relentlessly pounded cities in southern Israel with hundreds of sophisticated rockets and mortars, The Jerusalem Post reported. Hamas rockets continued to slam into Ashdod, Ashkelon and Beersheba on Friday, cities previously considered out of range, signaling a dangerous escalation in the Iranian-backed terror group's seven-year campaign of terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians. More than 700,000 Israelis now find themselves within range of Hamas' rockets—critical Israeli infrastructure and the country's largest port are now also under threat.
Hamas rockets wreak havoc on southern Israel.
Hamas rockets slammed into a kindergarten in Beersheba Wednesday in the latest spate of indiscriminate rocket fire on Israeli civilians in southern Israel, the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz reported. For the past seven years, southern Israeli communities have seen more than 6,300 rocket and mortar attacks. Each rocket launch sets off a warning system—a woman’s voice calling "Tzeva Adom" or "Red Alert"—which allows residents just 15 seconds to take cover. In the city of Sderot, nearly three-quarters of children exhibit signs of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and the town's bus stops have all been converted to reinforced bomb shelters. Children have grown up under the constant threat of Hamas rockets—kids play soccer games on smaller fields so they have enough time to run for cover in case of an attack, and families sleep in small bunkers, knowing that 15 seconds is not enough time to rouse everyone.
For two years, Hamas worked tirelessly, with Iranian assistance, to improve its ability to attack Israel, according to analysis in the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz. Hamas now has rockets with a range of 24 miles—enough to reach Beersheba and Ashdod, home to Israel's largest port. Hamas has successfully transitioned from a terrorist group to a more organized paramilitary organization. In recent years, dozens of Gazans have traveled to training camps run by Iran's Revolutionary Guards. When, last week, Hamas decided to terminate the Egyptian-mediated tahdiyeh, or period of calm, and escalated its bombardment of Israeli towns with rockets--near-constant rocket attacks had been ongoing for seven years--Israel decided that it could no longer tolerate the presence of a Hizballah-like paramilitary organization on its southern border and responded with force.
Listen to Israelis as they describe life under the constant threat of Hamas terror.
Over a hundred American leaders have come out in support of Israel's right to self-defense.
Hamas terrorists have killed hundreds of Israelis and wounded countless others through suicide bombings, rocket attacks and decades of indiscriminate violence.
Become a part of the organization The New York Times calls "the most important organization affecting America's relationship with Israel."
