Examples of IDF Warnings
to Gaza Civilians
On the basis of the principle
that the IDF has
no quarrel with Gaza’s civilian
population who are being used as a human
shield by the Hamas terrorists, the IDF has
been transmitting announcements and warnings
to the residents of the Gaza Strip. These
announcements are aimed at reducing the risk
of injury to uninvolved civilians by prior
announcement of the IDF's intent to attack,
instructing residents to evacuate the areas
where terrorists or terror infrastructure
are to be found.
To make sure these warnings reach
the residents, the IDF has used different
measures: dropping leaflets, making phone
calls, and commandeering local radio and
TV stations.
The main messages include:
- Calls to evacuate buildings
where weapons are stored and/or where tunnels
have been dug (since December 27)
- Instructions to move to the
center of towns (as of January 3)
- Instructions to residents to
listen to IDF advisories and avoid interaction
with terrorist elements
These messages were conveyed by
several means:
1. Dropping leaflets:
- On December 28, 300,000 leaflets
were dropped throughout the entire Gaza
Strip
- On December 29, 80,000 leaflets
were dropped in Rafah
- On January 3, 300,000 leaflets
were dropped in the entire Gaza Strip,
especially in the northern and eastern
parts
- On January 5, 300,000 leaflets
were droopped in Gaza City, Khan Yunis
and Rafah.
Leaflet (December 28, 2008):
الى سكان قطاع غزة
جيش الدفاع الاسرائيلي يعمل ضد الحركات والعناصر الذين يقومون باعمال ارهابية ضد مواطني دولة اسرائيل.
جيش الدفاع الاسرائيلي سيضرب ويدمر كل مبنى وموقع يوجد فيه ذخيرة وعتاد عسكري.
ابتداء من نشر هذا البيان, كل من توجد ذخيرة وعتاد عسكري في بيته فهو معرض للخطر وعليه مغادرة المكان كي يحافظ على حياته وحياة اسرته.
وقد اعذر من انذر.
قيادة جيش الدفاع الإسرائيلي
Translation:
To the residents of the Gaza Strip
The IDF will act against any movements and
elements conducting terrorist activities
against the residents of the State of Israel.
The IDF will hit and destroy any building
or site containing ammunition and weapons.
As of the publication of this announcement,
anyone having ammunition and/or weapons in
his home is risking his life and must leave
the place for the safety of his own life
and that of his family.
You have been warned.
IDF Command
2. Phone calls
- On December 27, around 20,000
phone calls were made throuthout the entire
Gaza Strip
- On December 29, around 10,000
phone calls were made to the residents
of Rafah
Phone Message (December 27, 2008)
The IDF will hit and destroy
any site or building containing ammunition
or weapons.
As of the publication of this announcement,
the life of anyone in whose home ammunition
and weapons are to be found is in danger,
and he must leave the place for the sake
of his own safety and that of his family.
IDF Command
3. Breaking into local
radio transmissions
(Radio Hamas, the Palestinian
Islamic Jihad Radio and Radio PFLP)
a. Specific local announcements
Radio Announcement (December 29,
2008)
To the residents of Rafah:
A military announcement -
The IDF will act against any organizations
and elements carrying out terrorist
activities against the residents of the State
of Israel.
The IDF will hit and destroy any building
or site containing ammunition, weapons or
tunnels.
As of the issuing of this announcement, anyone
having ammunition and/or weapons or a tunnel
in his home is risking his life and must
leave the place for his own safety and that
of his family.
You have been warned.
IDF Command
Radio Announcement (January 3, 2009)
Military announcement
To all residents of the area
For your own safety, you are required to
leave your homes immediately and move to
the city centers.
IDF Command
Israeli TV also reported that
minutes before the targeted killing of a Hamas terrorist
in his apartment or home, all the neighbors
get a phone call warning them to get out
of the area. Some of the defiant ones go
to the roof hoping to dissuade the IDF from
firing at which point a small, harmless missile
is fired to a corner of the roof. This convinces
the defiant to get away. Then and only then
is the hit performed.
Sources: Embassy of Israel |