Incident Summary:
05/31/2006: In one of six recorded rocket attacks on Israeli territory from Lebanese and Palestinian territory (200605180005, 200605180006, 200605250005, 200605260004, 200605280014), four Qassam rockets launched from the Gaza Strip struck the city of Sederot, causing some material damage and lightly wounding two people. One of the rockets landed on an apartment building close to the home of Defense Minister Amir Peretz. The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine’s military wing, Al-Quds Brigades, claimed responsibility for the rocket attack, but Israeli IDF officials stated that the rockets were assembled by Hamas. The IDF responded to the incident with artillery shelling against areas in northern Gaza.
Overview
GTD ID:
200605310004
When:
2006-05-31
Country:
Israel
Region:
Middle East & North Africa
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Southern
City:
Sederot
Location Details:
The rockets were fired from Gaza and landed in different parts of the Israeli city Sederot.
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Bombing/Explosion |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Private Citizens & Property |
Name of Entity |
Israeli civilians |
Specific Description |
Israeli civilians in Sederot |
Nationality of Target |
Israel |
Additional Information
Hostages |
No |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Yes |
Extent of Property Damage |
Minor (likely < $1 million) |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Explosives |
Projectile (rockets, mortars, RPGs, etc.) |
Weapon Details |
Four Qassam rockets were fired from Gaza to Sederot. Al-Quds Brigades described them as 'medium-range Quds rockets.' IDF officials stated that these Hamas-made rockets were colored green and red, and had features that distinguished them from rockets manufactured by Islamic Jihad and other terror groups. They also called Hamas-made rockets more accurate than ones used by other terror groups. |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine, claimed responsibility for the attack, but IDF officials blamed Hamas and argued that the rockets were Hamas-made. |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
0 Fatalities / 2 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
0 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
Unknown |
Total Number of Injured |
2 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
Unknown |
Sources
Sources
“4 Qassams Land in Israel, IDF To Step Up Unpublicized Gaza Operations,” Israel -- OSC Report, May 31, 2006. |
“Al-Quds Brigades Claims Responsibility For Firing 'Developed' Rocket at Sederot,” Nida al-Quds Network, May 31, 2006. |
“IDF: HAMAS Involved in Rocket Attacks on Israel for First Time in 'Over A Year',” Tel Aviv Ynetnews, June 1, 2006. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties