Scene of a terror attack
Scene of a terror attackHezki Ezra

A report released by the Shabak (General Security Service) Monday shows that there was a significant increase in terror attacks in Judea and Samaria in 2013, as compared to 2012. While fewer Israelis were killed in terror attacks, there were more attacks overall, the report said.

During 2012, ten Israelis were killed in terror attacks, with that number falling to six in 2013. Five of those killed last year were killed in attacks that originated in Judea and Samaria. Three of those killed last year died in knife attacks, while two were shot by snipers. One Israeli, Tomer Hazan h”yd, was killed after he was kidnapped by Arab terrorists.

Since September 29, 2000, the day the second intifada began, 1,227 Israelis have been killed in terror attacks. During that period, 8,549 people were injured.

There were more people injured in terror attacks (44) in 2013 than there were in 2012 (40); however, that number does not include 269 injured by rocket attacks during the weeks leading up to Operation Pillar of Defense, in which the IDF battled Hamas terrorists who incessantly attacked Israel with rockets. 78% of those injured in 2013 were hurt in rock attacks. Fifteen of the injured were civilians, and the rest were soldiers.

There were significantly more terror attacks in 2013 than 2012 – 1,271, compared to 578. Of those that occurred in 2013, 1,042 took place in Judea – 260 in the “Jerusalem envelope” area – and 229 took place in Samaria. The increase was reflected in all types of attacks, but was especially significant in “hot weapon” attacks, including shootings, and firebomb and grenade attacks.

With that, there were fewer attacks in Jerusalem in 2013 (126) than there were in 2012 (187).

Operation Pillar of Defense seems to have had a lasting effect, the report said; in 2012, there were 1,130 terror attacks from Gaza - 1,085 of them rocket attacks. In 2013, there were only 55.