On December 14, 2011, Hamas marked 24 years of activity and published several statistical data related to its activities against Israel and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). [1]
According to Hamas, during the 24 years of its activity:
- 1,365 IDF soldiers were killed and 6,411 were wounded in attacks conducted by the Hamas military wing.
- 1,117 attacks were carried out by the Hamas military wing, including 87 suicide attacks and 24 kidnappings-of IDF soldiers.
- 1,106 rockets attacks were launched against Israel, with a total of 11,093 rockets fired.
- 1,848 members of the Hamas military wing were killed.
- 1,050 members of the Hamas military wing were released from Israeli captivity, despite the fact that most of them were serving life sentences.
Although the accuracy of the data cited above is unclear, with regard to at least part of the period covered in the Hamas report, we can compare it to statistics published by the Israel Security Agency (ISA). [2] According to the ISA, from the start of the second intifada (October 2000) until the end of 2008, Hamas was responsible for 457 deaths of Israeli civilians and soldiers (out of a total of 1,162 deaths related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict recorded during that period) and for 3,008 injuries (out of a total of 7,007). [3] Furthermore, according to ISA, during the same time period (2000–2008), Hamas was responsible for 92 suicide attacks, with 64 of them perpetrated by Hamas activists. Lastly, according to the ISA, between 2000 and the end of 2009, there were 4,735 mortar attacks, and 6,016 rockets were launched at Israel in 4,561 rocket attacks. ISA data does not specify how many of these attacks were carried out by Hamas.