Israel's Forewarnings

 Nadene Goldfoot                                                 

Israel drops warning leaflets in south Gaza, indicating expansion of offensive to area where many have fled

World Nov 16, 2023 11:35 AM EDTKHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip(AP) — Israeli forces dropped leaflets warning Palestinians to flee parts of southern Gaza, residents said Thursday, signaling a possible expansion of their offensive to the zone where most of the territory's population has fled to escape Israel's bombardment and ground assault.

For a country created in 1958, Israel has had little time preparing their defense system.  They knew that the world would discriminate against them in any battle with the Arabs over land.  They knew from their past how they were the scapegoat of all the populations because they would not bend and convert to others' religions of Christianity or Islam.  The Jewish leaders must of had a glimmering of what could happen in their minds as I have had.  So they quickly came up with the steps to be taken.  

Israel's system of warning Palestinian civilians before strikes has evolved significantly since the 1960s. Following the 1967 Six-Day War ; when all the Arab nations attacked them and Israel won;  and the start of the occupation of settling in their own original land mass of Samaria and Judah;  basic warnings were localized such as sirens and men with megaphones. Over the decades, these methods expanded into systematic, technologically advanced protocols including direct phone calls, text messages, dropped leaflets, and "roof knocking".  As early as 2006 the IDF had the practice of warning the inhabitants of a building that was about to be attacked. Roof knocking was used during the 2008–2009 Gaza War, the 2012 Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip, and the 2014 Gaza War. In the six months prior to its use, Israel collected data on Hamas members, which they used to issue warnings.basically, Israeli intelligence officers and Shin Bet security servicemen contacted residents of a building in which they suspected storage of military assets and told them that they had 10–15 minutes to flee the attack, although in some cases the delay has been as little as five minutes.

Early Settling : Following the 1967 war, early warnings were primarily used during ground operations in the West Bank and Gaza. The military would use loudspeakers or direct face-to-face commands to order residents out of structures before demolitions.

Curfews and Mega-Phones: During the First Intifada (1987), the IDF utilized curfews and public address systems to notify civilians in targeted neighborhoods to stay indoors or evacuate ahead of military raids.

Modern Precautionary Tactics (2000s to Present)

• "Roof Knocking" (הקש בגג): Introduced during the 2008-2009 Gaza War, this controversial tactic involves the Israeli Air Force (IAF) dropping small, low-yield non-explosive devices on the roofs of civilian buildings. This creates a loud acoustic warning, giving residents a few minutes to evacuate before a larger strike.
• Direct Communications: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) employ mass communication methods, including automated pre-recorded voice calls, text messages, and direct conversations with building owners.
• Leaflet Drops: The IAF frequently drops thousands of paper leaflets over densely populated neighborhoods, providing specific geographic instructions and safe routes to leave designated conflict zones.
• Evacuation Zones: In major recent conflicts, the Israeli military has mapped out localized blocks and directed residents to larger "humanitarian zones" well in advance of structural targets. 

Criticisms of the Procedures

International bodies and human rights organizations have frequently criticized these methods. The United Nations (UN) and Amnesty International have argued that warning shots create mass confusion, and that the short timeframes (sometimes mere minutes) are inadequate for the elderly, children, or disabled to safely flee. Additionally, critics argue that such measures do not fully absolve militaries of the legal obligations to protect civilians in active urban combat zones.

And indeed;  it's active urban areas that Israeli citizens are attacked.  The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) frequently issue urgent evacuation warnings and maps to civilians ahead of targeted military strikes in conflict zones like Gaza and southern Lebanon. When warnings are provided, they generally take several forms before an operation begins.

Do you know how much time Israelis have to get to bomb shelters?  Yes, Jews care about their lives and lives of their families and have tried to have enough bomb shelters to hold all their citizens.  My junior high had a room designated as such.  The children and all of Israel sometimes only get a few minutes of warning and they all have to run like heck for a bomb shelter. 

The time Israelis have to reach a bomb shelter ranges from 15 seconds to 3 minutes, depending on their exact proximity to the threat's origin. 

The IDF Home Front Command dictates the specific warning time for various areas, requiring immediate action when air raid sirens sound: 

• 15 seconds: Communities closest to the Gaza border, such as Sderot.
• 30 seconds: Northern and southern frontline cities like Tzfat, Acre, and Ashkelon.
• 45 seconds: Ashdod.
• 1 minute: Major cities like Haifa, Beersheba, and Beit Shean.
• 90 seconds: Central hubs including Tel Aviv.
• 3 minutes: Jerusalem and Dimona. 

For larger-scale ballistic missile threats (e.g., from Iran), the Home Front Command app and cell networks will sometimes issue early warning alerts 10 to 30 minutes before expected impacts, followed by standard sirens approximately 90 seconds prior to arrival. Residents are advised to stay inside reinforced rooms or public shelters for at least 10 minutes following the all-clear siren to avoid falling shrapnel.

And do Palestinians in Gaza have bomb shelters?  I think not.  The more casualties they have the better the Nicholas Kristofs of the world can throw mud on the Israeli reputation of being the nice guy.                          

Richard Justin Kemp (born 14 April 1959) is a retired British Army officer who served from 1977 to 2006. Kemp was an infantry battalion commanding officer.

Take Colonel Richard Kemp, a retired British Army officer and former Commander of British forces in Afghanistan. 

He has frequently defended Israel's military actions, publicly stating that the IDF goes to unprecedented lengths to minimize civilian casualties. In his analyses, he has highlighted that Israel does more than what is legally required in warfare by giving advance warnings to civilians (such as roof-knocking, leaflet drops, and automated calls) before conducting strikes in urban environments. 

You can find more of his military analysis and commentary on his advocacy for the IDF’s adherence to the laws of armed conflict via the Col. Richard Kemp Interview on IsraelCast or his discussion on Fox News Digital. 

Resource:

Wikipedia

Amnesty International