Last updated: May 12, 2023
On May 9, 2023, the Israeli Army began a series of airstrikes in response to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), a terrorist group based in the Gaza Strip. The airstrikes launched the new Israeli Operation Shield and Arrow. The Operation is the result of tensions that have escalated between Israel and Palestinian terror groups in recent weeks. Most recently, the JIP responded to the killing of one of its officers, Khader Adnan, on May 2 with a major barrage of rockets and threats of further violence. Since the beginning of Shield and Arrow, terrorist groups in Gaza have fired more than 970 rockets at Israeli homes and families, and the Israel Defense Forces have responded by attacking military targets in Gaza.
What is the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)?
Palestinian Islamic Jihad is an internationally recognized terrorist group. Its main areas of operation are Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and Syria. Supported by the Iranian and Syrian regimes, the JIP is the second largest terrorist group in Gaza after Hamas, which rules the territory. The terrorist organization rejects any peace agreement, a two-state solution, or any political resolution to the conflict. Palestinian Islamic Jihad calls for the destruction of the state of Israel and is responsible for killing Israeli civilians through suicide attacks, rockets, shootings, and more. Since Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, the JIP has fired thousands of rockets into Israel.
Facts and context about the current wave of violence:
The information below is based on reports and news reports about the current situation. We will update this information as more facts and resources become available. All dates and times mentioned are in Israeli Standard Time.
May 2-3
Terrorist groups in Gaza launched 104 rockets against Israel. The rockets were launched in response to the death of Palestinian Islamic Jihad member Khader Adnan, who died on hunger strike while awaiting his trial in Israel on terrorism-related charges. His several hunger strikes in the past have made him a symbol of resistance for many Palestinians.
- Adnan was arrested in February 2023, with other members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, on charges of belonging to a terrorist organization, inciting violence against Israeli civilians, and openly supporting terrorism. Immediately after his arrest, Adnan began his hunger strike and refused any medical treatment. A 2007 video shows Adnan encouraging terrorist attacks and suicide bombings during a rally. In the video, Adnan says, “Who among you will carry the next explosive belt? Who of you will fire the next bullets? Who of you will have your body parts blown up?”. In another video from 2022, he extolled two terrorists responsible for the murder of eight Israelis.
- Israel responded to the rockets by targeting terrorist facilities and Hamas weapons depots in Gaza. A ceasefire brokered by Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations went into effect at 4 a.m. on May 3. Islamic Jihad launched more rockets two hours after the ceasefire went into effect, before its spokesman confirmed the agreement.
May 9
- The Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Shield and Arrow with surprise air strikes against Islamic Jihad leaders in Gaza. The airstrikes killed three commanders of the terrorist group; Khalil Bahtini, commander of the al-Quds Brigades, Tareq Ezzaldin, who oversaw terrorist activity in Gaza and the West Bank, and Jihad Ghanem, secretary of the Military Council and commander of the Southern Gaza Brigade. The deaths were confirmed by Israeli authorities and the terrorist group.
- Bahtini was allegedly leading a terrorist cell that was recently captured by Israeli forces trying to manufacture rockets in the West Bank.
- Ten civilians were also killed in the initial air strikes, all family members or neighbors of the Islamic Jihad leaders. These deaths are tragic, and while Israel tries its best to avoid harming innocents, the task is extremely difficult as terrorist groups hide among Palestinian civilians.
- Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas made several threats after the operation was launched. A spokesman for the terror group announced, “The Palestinian response to this heinous and aggressive massacre will not be delayed,” while Hamas said the airstrikes would be met with a firm response from the unified resistance. Lebanon-based terrorist organization Hezbollah also expressed its “solidarity” with the JIP.
- In anticipation of rocket launches by Islamic Jihad and Hamas, Israel ordered residents in the south of the country to stay near air-raid shelters, suspend the operation of schools, and close beaches and roads. Air raid shelters were opened in central Israel, including Tel Aviv, and some hospitals transferred patients to fortified areas.
- Two terrorists were killed in another Israeli air strike. They were reportedly shot at while carrying guided missiles for an attack against Israel.
- In a press conference, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explained that Operation Shield and Arrow was planned several days ago, following rocket launches by the JIP on May 2 and 3. Netanyahu said that the Israel Defense Forces were prepared for a prolonged operation if necessary, and that any escalation by the JIP or Hamas would lead to an “overwhelming response” from Israel. Israeli army chief of staff Herzi Halevi commented on Israel’s efforts to avoid civilian casualties, saying that the Israel Defense Forces make “every effort” not to harm civilians in Gaza.
- In the West Bank, Israel arrested terrorists in the city of Nablus, causing clashes between the Israel Defense Forces and Palestinians across the West Bank, where tensions remain high. Israel made arrests almost every night to root out terrorist cells and arrest those responsible for the series of deadly terror attacks in April and May.
May 10
- The Israeli air force struck several Palestinian Islamic Jihad bases early on May 10, including a rocket launching site near the town of al-Qarara. Palestinian Islamic Jihad reported that one person was killed and another was injured.
- The Joint Operations Room of the Palestinian Factions in Gaza, a command center coordinated by several terrorist groups, announced Operation “Revenge of the Free.” The Operation will consist of “directing a large rocket attack with hundreds of rockets at the enemy positions.”
- At 1:30 pm, Islamic Jihad began firing rockets from Gaza into southern Israel. The rockets were the first fired at Israel since Operation Shield and Arrow began, and occurred after Israel’s Home Front Command suspended restrictions on residents in southern Israel. Most of the rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system.
- Rockets were fired from Gaza toward southern and central Israel during the afternoon, hitting Tel Aviv and the nearby Gush Dan region. The air defense system was first deployed near Tel Aviv.
- Flights from Ben Gurion International Airport were briefly suspended mid-afternoon. Rockets hit a house in Sderot and a kindergarten in the Eshkol region. No injuries were reported in either of the rockets hit.
- The Israel Defense Forces reported that between 270 and 350 rockets were fired from Gaza at Israel around 4:30 p.m. Officials said that many of the rockets fell in Gaza or the Mediterranean Sea, 62 were intercepted by the Iron Dome, and others fell in open areas, such as in Israel. Many of the rockets were launched from crowded civilian areas of Gaza.
- Israel has hit more than 40 Islamic Jihad sites in Gaza since the beginning of Operation Shield and Arrow. Israel’s army spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, reported that Hamas has stayed out of the conflict and has not fired rockets. The Hamas-run Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza reported that 21 Palestinians were killed and 64 were injured in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, many of them were members of terrorist groups.
- Negotiations on a possible ceasefire, brokered by Egypt, were ongoing in the afternoon and evening. The Haaretz newspaper reported that Hamas was ready for a ceasefire and working to get Palestinian Islamic Jihad to commit as well. Around 7:30 p.m., it was reported that Palestinian Islamic Jihad rejected a ceasefire, blaming Israel for continuing to attack the group’s targets, but negotiations were ongoing.
- The barrage of rockets in southern Israel continued for several hours into the night. Buildings in the towns of Netivot, Ashkelon, Kibbutz Nir Am and Sderot were damaged and one casualty was reported. After the Israel Defense Forces attacked more Islamic Jihad infrastructure in Gaza, the terrorist group responded with a threat to continue firing rockets into Tel Aviv and even more into Israel.
- At a 9 p.m. press conference, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said he hoped that “we will end this soon, but we are ready for it to be prolonged” and that “a situation where Israeli children can be hurt is not acceptable to me and I will not allow it.” At 9:30 p.m., the Israel Defense Forces said they had hit 133 PIJ sites, and of the 469 rockets fired from Gaza, 107 missed inside Gaza and 153 were intercepted.
- At 11:30 p.m., it was reported that Israeli authorities did not expect a ceasefire to take effect until the morning of May 11. Throughout the night, the air force continued to attack Palestinian Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza as the terrorist group launched more rockets against Israeli communities.
May 11
- Rocket fire against Israel continued through the night as the Israeli air force struck new Palestinian Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza. The head of the IPJ’s rocket program, Ali Hassan Muhammad Ghali, and the deputy head of the program, Ahmad Abu Daqqa, were killed in the air strikes. Early Thursday morning, the terrorist group released a video threatening to “drown” Israel with rockets.
- Ceasefire talks continued throughout the day with mediators from Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations. Islamic Jihad has reportedly conditioned any potential ceasefire on three things; Israel returning Khader Adnan’s body, canceling the Jerusalem Day Flag March, and ending the assassinations of terrorist leaders. Israeli officials have denied reports of a ceasefire agreement.
- Southern Israel was attacked with many rockets on Thursday night. One person died and five were injured when an apartment building in Rehovot was hit by a rocket. According to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the rocket was manufactured in Iran. A foreign worker in the Eshkol area was injured by shrapnel. The rockets hit houses, a community center, and a shopping mall in the towns of Bat Yam, Sderot, and Kfar Maimon.
- Palestinian Islamic Jihad released a statement after the rocket barrage saying it had “fulfilled its duty and its promise to avenge Palestinian martyrs, civilians and fighters.” The Joint Operations Room, a coordinated command center for various terrorist groups, said Israel was “miscalculating” in continuing targeted assassinations of terrorist leaders and that the group could respond to Israel’s attacks.
- The Israel Defense Forces continued to attack both infrastructure and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad leadership. Israeli officials stated that the attacks would continue as long as rockets continued to be launched against Israel, saying that the army would continue “eliminating and exacting a high price from Islamic Jihad.” The airstrikes continued Thursday night.
- The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza said 30 Palestinians have been killed and 86 wounded since the operation began. At least 12 are confirmed members of terrorist groups, with the PIJ claiming several as members, while 10 were civilians killed in IDF attacks on senior PIJ leaders. According to the IDF, at least four civilians were also killed by PIJ rockets that were not launched and fell in Gaza.
- Rocket barrages continued into the night in southern and central Israel, hitting Tel Aviv and neighboring cities. Hamas remained outside the conflict, with Palestinian Islamic Jihad being responsible for launching rockets. According to the Israel Defense Forces, as of 8 p.m., 803 rockets were launched at Israel, 152 of which fell in Gaza, and Israel hit 191 Palestinian Islamic Jihad targets.
- According to a report, Israeli authorities believe that the objectives of the operation have been achieved and that “the next few hours will be critical regarding a ceasefire or the continuation of the confrontation.
We hope that this wave of violence will end as soon as possible, for the sake of Israelis and Palestinians.