Admittedly we did not discover this in a secret archive in Gaza City or Doha. But the events of recent weeks have laid bare what appears to be a remarkably consistent effort on the part of one of the world’s most brutal terrorist organizations to defeat the Jewish state in a most innovative fashion. This is surely going to be studied by friend and foe alike for years to come.

STEP 1. Fire over 11,000 rockets into Israel since Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005.

Since Israel withdrew from Gaza, Hamas has built a huge rocket arsenal, estimated by Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon to consist of 10,000 rockets prior to Operation Protective Edge. This arsenal includes the Gaza produced medium range M-75, which can reach Tel Aviv and the Syrian made long range M-302 which can reach northern Israel. The latter rocket has hit in Zichron Yaakov and Hadera. These rockets can reach 70% of Israel’s population. During the three weeks of Operation Protective Edge, Hamas has fired at least 2825 rockets into Israel.

STEP 2. Increase rocket launches to trigger Israeli response.

There were spikes in rocket attacks in 2008 (Operation Cast Lead), in 2012 (Operation Pillar of Defense) and 2014 (Operation Protective Edge). The 450 rockets referred documented earlier this year were fired into Israel before Operation Protective Edge began and represented a tenfold increase over 2013.

STEP 3. Fire from densely populated areas

Patrick Martin, a reporter for The Globe and Mail reported two weeks ago “we were overwhelmed by the jet-like sound of two rockets being launched from somewhere near the school.” Just this week a United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA)official John Ging told the CBC, “The militants, Hamas, and the other armed groups, they are firing also their weaponry, the rockets, into Israel from the vicinity of these [UN] installations and housing and so on, so the combat is being conducted very much in a residential built up area.” The IDF compiled videos of twelve rocket launches from densely populated areas.

STEP 4. Tell civilians to ignore Israeli pleas to evacuate

Even though Israel takes the extraordinary step of warning civilian when it is about attack a certain area and warns civilians to evacuate, Hamas forces civilian to stay. Two weeks ago, military correspondent Ron Ben Yishai reported that in one case after Israel warned residents of one neighborhood to leave however “[t]he majority remained in their homes following Hamas threats. If they did leave, Hamas announced, it would settle the score with them after the war.”

STEP 5. Ensure any counterstrike will create civilian casualties

An article at the Australia’s ABC news site reported, ” a number of civilians in Gaza have been seen massing on the rooftops of Hamas sites, with a Hamas spokesman stating, “We in the Hamas movement call on our people to adopt this procedure.” Hamas has used the “human shield” tactic in previous escalations and stands condemned by the international community for its clear violation of humanitarian law.” The New York Times reported at the beginning of July that neighbors of a building targeted by the IDF “‘came in to form a human shield,’ … with some even going to the roof to try to prevent a bombing,” in an apparently coordinated effort to interfere with the IDF’s plans. Last week the IDF released a picture of civilians, including children, who were ordered to the roof of a targeted building.

STEP 6. Use global media to broadcast Gazan deaths

Monday this week there were explosions in the Al Shati refugee camp in Gaza. NBC reported:

Another strike occurred at the Al-Shati refugee camp in northern Gaza. A Palestinian health official says at least 10 people, including children, were killed in Monday’s strikes and dozens were injured. An NBC News team in the area said the strikes were in “close succession” and the round that hit the refugee camp exploded in the middle of a crowded street where children had been playing. “We came out of the mosque when I saw the children playing with their toy guns. Seconds later a missile landed,” said Munther Al-Derbi, a resident of the camp. “May God punish … Netanyahu,” he said, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

However an Italian journalist who fled Gaza afterwards told the truth. Hamas, not Israel, was guilty of the carnage.

Out of #Gaza far from #Hamas retaliation: misfired rocket killed children yday in Shati. Witness: militants rushed and cleared debris — gabrielebarbati (@gabrielebarbati) July 29, 2014

STEP 7. Highlight deaths of children to demonize Israel

In the aftermath of the Hamas rocket killing the children at the Al Shati refugee camp, a Hamas spokesman blamed Israel:

In a text message, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said the killings would be avenged. “The massacre against the children in Shati refugee camp is a war crime,” Zuhri said. “Such a crime is a result of the silence of the international community. This crime will not break our will, and the occupation will pay the price.”

STEP 8. Media blames Israel, inflames world against Israel.

Bernard-Henri Lévy wrote in The Wall Street Journal yesterday:

[The double standard] has become increasingly evident across Europe in the past month. Bluntly anti-Semitic slogans have marred most European demonstrations “in support of the people of Gaza.” Residents of Frankfurt and Dortmund were horrified in mid-July to see neo-Nazi groups join hands with left-wing Islamists in a grim chant: “Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the gas.” The center of London was blocked on July 19 by thousands who gathered in front of the Israeli embassy in Kensington to shout their hatred for Jews.

STEP 9. World forces cease-fire before Israel can root out terror.

In November of 2012 Israel reached a ceasefire deal ending Operation Pillar of Defense under what The New York Times described as “intense Egyptian and American pressure.” However at the times of ceasefire, then defense minister, Ehud Barak said that even though the “objectives of Operation Pillar of Defense ‘were fully realized,'” he cautioned that “Israel may be forced to engage with Hamas again, even in the near future.” Less than two years later his warning has been realized.

STEP 10: Declare victory

At the end of Operation Pillar of Defense Der Spiegel reported:

In the Gaza Strip, thousands took to the streets on Wednesday evening to celebrate what they see as a victory over Israel. Foreign journalists reported chaotic scenes of joy involving Hamas fighters firing machine guns into the air. Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal, currently in Egypt, has also claimed victory. The government in Jerusalem, he said, had failed with its military “adventure.”

[Photo: idfnadesk / YouTube ]