Israeli airstrikes vs Palestinian rockets: Facts & Stats on air attacks

Chart of Israelis killed by rockets from Gaza and Palestinians in Gaza killed by Israeli airstrike. (If Americans Knew)

US news reports on Israel-Palestine virtually always mention ‘thousands of rockets have been fired from Gaza.’ This suggests that Israelis are being victimized by Palestinian aggressors. However, the facts show the opposite. Israel initiated the violence and has killed vastly more people.

Gazan rockets are the response of a desperate population that is literally being starved and oppressed. (Gazans have also tried massive nonviolent demonstrations, but these get far less media attention. Israeli snipers have killed and maimed numerous participants.)

To set the record straight, If Americans Knew has compiled thorough information on Palestinian rockets. Please see the fully documented report here.

According to the Israeli military, the first rocket launched by a Gazan resistance group was fired on April 16, 2001. This came AFTER Israeli forces had shelled and invaded Gaza in the previous months (photos here), killing 570+ Palestinians.

The production of rockets began in September 2001 . In 2001 Palestinian groups fired a total of 4 rockets. (According to the Jewish Policy Center and Jewish Virtual Library. The first Gazan rocket to land in Israel was in 2002. (Jewish Policy Center)

Click here for full information on Palestinian rockets and air attacks by both sides:

A chronological list of all deaths from Palestinian rocket attacks
Photos of the different types of rockets
Photos of Israeli air attack weaponry
Additional detailed information

[For all deaths among both populations from all types of attacks, go here. For additional statistics, go here.]

The Tufah area of Khan Yunis in the Gaza Strip, February 2001. The area had been shelled by Israeli forces. Not a single rocket had yet been fired from Gaza. (Photo by Alison Weir)

A Palestinian boy who had been shot by Israeli forces, Gaza Strip, February 2001. Not a single rocket had yet been fired from Gaza. Israeli forces had killed dozens of Palestinian children in the previous four months, many of them through gunfire to the head; no Israeli children had been killed. (Photo by Alison Weir)

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