Gaza: In the minutes before the ceasefire kicked in at Gaza this morning, Hamas fired a flurry of rockets towards Israel - 30 according to some counts.

Israel has argued that that these rockets are fired from civilian areas, and this is why its retaliatory strikes can result in civilian casualties.

But this morning, NDTV witnessed one such rocket silo being created under a tent right next to the hotel where our team was staying. Minutes later, we saw the rocket being fired, just before the 72-hour ceasefire came into effect.

It began with a mysterious tent with a blue canopy that bobbed up yesterday (August 4) at 6:30 am in an open patch of land next to our window. We saw three men making a multitude of journeys in and out of the tent, sometimes with wires.

An hour later, they emerged, dismantled the tent, changed their clothes and walked away.

The next morning - today - we woke to news of the 72-hour ceasefire but just before it was to take effect, the rocket next to our hotel was fired. There was a loud explosion and a whooshing sound. The cloud of smoke that rose was captured by our cameraperson.

This report is being aired on NDTV and published on ndtv.com after our team left the Gaza strip - Hamas has not taken very kindly to any reporting of its rockets being fired. But just as we reported the devastating consequences of Israel's offensive on Gaza's civilians, it is equally important to report on how Hamas places those very civilians at risk by firing rockets deep from the heart of civilian zones.

http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/ndtv-exclusive-how-hamas-assembles-and-fires-rockets-571033

Militants in the Gaza Strip were caught on camera Tuesday morning assembling a rocket launch site which they then used to fire a flurry of rockets into Israel on Wednesday minutes before a ceasefire came into effect in Gaza.

Sreenivasan Jain and NDTV filmed suspected Hamas members assembling the rocket launch site beneath a tent in the middle of a residential neighborhood. The launch site was placed within feet of hotels and apartment blocks in a crowded residential area.

"If Hamas does fire a rocket from here, it would have immediate consequences for everyone around here," Jain said in the NDTV video segment. "The first night that we came here, we did see, or hear, a rocket go off exactly at that plot of land. The hotels opposite us were evacuated because the Israelis sent a warning that there might be a strike on them."

In the video, militants assemble a rocket launching system under a blue tent in a residential area on August 4. Three men made multiple trips into and out of the tent, connecting the device under the tarp with wires, before placing the launcher underneath a bush and some sand.

The rocket was launched minutes before a 72-hour ceasefire between Hamas and Israel was to come into effect.

Israel has faced a barrage of criticism over the conduct of its military operations and the mounting civilian death toll in Gaza. Israeli officials have argued that Hamas routinely fires rockets from civilian areas, causing Israeli retaliatory strikes that result in civilian deaths.

Before striking civilian buildings, Israel sends a warning that there could be an airstrike. If a strike is to take place, Israel then launches a smaller missile to "knock" on a building before bombing it 15 minutes later.

Hamas has been widely criticized for launching rockets into Israel from densely packed civilian areas. However, Hamas has generally avoided being captured on film, and as New York Times photographer Tyler Hicks explained, during this war it's been very unusual for journalists to even see the group's militants operating out in the open at any time.

NDTV reported that the video was published after the team had left the Gaza strip, so as to limit any retribution from Hamas towards the journalists.



Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/hamas-rocket-team-caught-on-video-2014-8#ixzz39Y7gz38M

http://www.businessinsider.com/hamas-rocket-team-caught-on-video-2014-8

Muslims can never play fair. The culture encourages deception.

jerseyboy: Muslims can never play fair. The culture encourages deception.

Please say it again.