Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center

at the Israel Intelligence Heritage

& Commemoration Center (IICC)
January 21, 2008

Using the Civilian Population in the Gaza

Strip as Human Shields:
Aerial photographs show locations of
terrorist bases and weapons in the heart
of civilian neighborhoods in the Gaza
Strip

1. The IDF activity in the Gaza Strip during Operation Cast Lead revealed the full extent to
which Hamas and the other terrorist organizations exploit the civilian population as human
shields. Reports from the battlefield showed that frequently the terrorists fought against the
IDF forces from within civilian institutions, mosques and residential dwellings. The sites were
used for launching rockets, and as posts and military positions. Many public institutions and
buildings served as weapons storehouses, and many buildings and roads were booby-trapped
with IEDs and mines.

2. This Bulletin presents examples of the terrorist infrastructure, seen superimposed on aerial
photographs to complement the report on the use Hamas and the other terrorist
organizations make of civilians as human shields.1 The photographs show how Hamas turned
entire civilian neighborhoods, including houses, mosques, schools, hospitals and UN
facilities, into quasi-military compounds from which it waged combat against the IDF. By
doing so Hamas made it difficult for the IDF to operate, and inevitably caused loss of life and
property damage to innocent civilians.

1
See “Hamas Exploitation of Civilians as Human Shields” at http://www.terrorism-
info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/pdf/hamas_e028.pdf, January 2009
 2

H
Haam
maass M Miilliittaarryy IInnffrraassttrruuccttuurree aanndd TTeerrrroorriisstt A
Accttiivviittyy
SSiittuuaatteedd iinn tthhee TTeell aall--ZZaaaattaarr N Neeiigghhbboorrhhoooodd
3. The densely-populated Tel al-Zaatar neighborhood is located in the northern Gaza Strip.
It is home to a number of schools and mosques, a medical center and several UN facilities.
The aerial photograph shows that Hamas situated its military bases and training camps near
schools and the Al-Fakhura medical center. It also shows that some parts of the
neighborhood were mined and that tunnels were dug nearby. In addition, it is marked with
the launching sites set up inside the neighborhood from which rockets were fired into Israel.

Post
Mosque
Cemetery
Schools

Soccer
Tel-Zaatar Association Technological
school School

Post

UNDP

Mosque
Military Camp
Schools

UNDP Social Center Legend

Rocket Launching Sites

Civilian Facility
Hamas Facilities
Schools
Training Camps
Type of Location

Al-Fakhura Bunker
Medical Center
Training Camps Hiding Place

Training Camps Military Camp

Roadblock
Hamas
Post Mine

Obstacle

Tunnel

Embankment

Position

0-50-100 Meters Concrete Cube

 3

H
Haam Miilliittaarryy IInnffrraassttrruuccttuurree aanndd TTeerrrroorriisstt A
maass M Accttiivviittyy
SSiittuuaatteedd iinn tthhee R Reeggiioonn ooff JJaabbaalliiyyaa
4. Jabaliya is a village and Palestinian refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip. The
Palestinian terrorist organizations used the region to launch rockets into Israel before
Operation Cast Lead. The residents of Jabaliya originally came from Mt. Hebron. Today the
area of Jabaliya is about 1.4 square kilometers and its population is 106,846, including the
refugee camp. UNRWA maintains an extensive presence which supports the refugee
population.

5. The aerial photograph shows that Hamas situated many of its military facilities in Jabaliya,
including a post and firing range. Tunnels were dug between civilian houses and exposed
areas were mined. Many places in Jabaliya served as rocket launching sites both before and
during Operation Cast Lead, including places close to mosques and UNRWA schools.

UNRWA Boys’ Mosque

School

Jabaliya school
(Y.A.C) UNRWA
Elementary School

UNRWA
Elementary School

Mosque

Legend

Rocket Launching Sites

Tel-Jabaliya Post Civilian Facility

Hamas Facilities

Type of Location
Firing
Range
Bunker

Hiding Place

Military Camp

Water Reservoir Post Roadblock

Mine

Obstacle

Tunnel

Embankment
Hospital
Position
School
Concrete Cube
0-50-100 Meters
 4

H
Haam Miilliittaarryy IInnffrraassttrruuccttuurree aanndd A
maass M Accttiivviittyy SSiittuuaatteedd iinn tthhee
SShhaa’’aattii RReeffuuggeeee C Caam mpp N Noorrtthh ooff GGaazzaa C Ciittyy
6. The densely-populated area north of Gaza City was also turned into a military compound
by Hamas. The refugee camp borders on the sea and is home to 80,567 Palestinians. It has
a number of schools and mosques, near which terrorist activities were carried out. The aerial
photograph shows that Hamas established a military camp and training camps inside the
refugee camp. Some of the bases are near schools. Hamas turned almost all of the local
shore into a military zone. Rockets were launched from the Sha’ati refugee camp into Israeli
territory, in proximity to public buildings.

School

Mosque
Mosque

Training Camp

Military
Training Camp School Camp

Legend
Schools
Rocket Launching Sites
Civilian Facility
Hamas Facilities
Training Camp
Type of Location

Bunker

Hiding Place
Mosque
Military Camp

Roadblock

Kindergarten School Mine

School
Obstacle
Mosque
Tunnel
Mosque
Embankment
School Position

0-50-100 Meters Concrete Cube

 5

R
Roocckkeett LLaauunncchhiinngg P Puubblliicc B
Poossiittiioonn nneeaarr P Buuiillddiinnggss iinn tthhee
Reeffuuggeeee C
SShhaa’’aattii R Caammpp iinn tthhee N Gaazzaa SSttrriipp
Noorrtthheerrnn G

The Palestinian
Association for the Shuhadaa
Rehabilitation of the Medical Center Soccer Stadium Public Building
Disabled

140 Meters (153 Yards) 32 Meters (35 Yards)

Rocket Launching
Point

R
Roocckkeett LLaauunncchhiinngg P Moossqquuee iinn tthhee SShhaa’’aattii
Poossiittiioonn nneeaarr aa M
RReeffuuggeeee C mpp iinn tthhee N
Caam Noorrtthheerrnn G
Gaazzaa SSttrriipp

Mosque

10 Meters (11 Yards)

Rocket Launching
Point
 6

SSiittuuaattiinngg M
Miilliittaarryy FFaacciilliittiieess aanndd P
Poossttss iinn aanndd aarroouunndd
MMoossqquueess
7. Hamas and the other Palestinian terrorist organizations frequently make military use of
the many mosques in the Gaza Strip. The mosques have traditionally served Hamas and other
radical Islamic terrorist organizations not only for religious needs, but for military purposes
and as places to spread political propaganda. They serve as hiding places for terrorist
operatives, storehouses for weapons, bases for launching rockets and mortar shells and as
centers from which terrorists leave to carry out terrorist attacks. Exploiting mosques for
military purposes is a gross violation of the law of armed warfare and abuse of the special
protection afforded by international law to houses of worship.

8. Aerial photographs of the Hamas military infrastructure situated near mosques

TTuunnnneell O
Oppeenniinngg N
Neeaarr A
All--K Moossqquuee iinn B
Khhaaqq M Beeiitt LLaahhiiyyaa

Tunnel Opening

Al-Khaq Mosque
 7

IIEED
DD Pooiinntt SSiittuuaatteedd iinn aa M
Deettoonnaattiioonn P Moossqquuee oonn tthhee R
Rooaadd
SSoouutthh ttoo K Khhaann Y Yuunniiss

Cable running from the IED to

the mosque

IED placed at the

side of the road

Mosque

IIEED
D aanndd R Poossiittiioonn nneeaarr FFiillaassttiinn M
Roocckkeett LLaauunncchhiinngg P Moossqquuee iinn
G
Gaazzaa C
Ciittyy

Filastin Mosque

14 Meters (15 Yards)

IED near an
Electric Pole

Rocket
Launching
Position
 8

IInnffaannttrryy P
Poossiittiioonn aanndd M
Miinnee H Hoollee nneeaarr tthhee TTaaw
whhiidd M
Moossqquuee
N Gaazzaa C
Noorrtthh ooff G Ciittyy

Mine Hole
Infantry Position
39 meters

Al-Tawhid
Mosque

FFoorrttiiffiieedd P
Poossiittiioonn oonn R Hoouussee iinn tthhee H
Rooooff ooff H Heeaarrtt ooff aa
C Neeiigghhbboorrhhoooodd iinn B
Ciivviilliiaann N Beeiitt LLaahhiiyyaa

Civilian
Building

Fortified
Position