Hamas has decided to intensify the rocket attacks on Israeli population centers, not just as a specific retaliation to the killing of Arabs in Gaza by the IDF in recent days. According to Arab sources quoted in Haaretz, the terror group decided to forsake its previous tactic, of abstention from rocket fire and letting smaller organizations fire at Israel sporadically, after concluding that it gave Israel a military and diplomatic advantage.

Senior terrorists in Hamas said that the IDF operated within Gaza and killed numerous Arabs without paying a price itself and without Olmert's government asking for a ceasefire.

The sources said that Hamas will continue intense shelling in order to try and force the IDF into a lull in the fighting ("tahadiya"). Arab commentators said that Hamas is refraining from firing at Ashkelon and is keeping that option open in case the IDF invades Gaza