Hamas Still Has 5,000 More Rockets, Israel Defense Forces Claim

Ultra-Orthodox Jews walk through Ramat Shlomo, a religious Jewish settlement in an area of the occupied West Bank Israel annexed to Jerusalem, March 17, 2010. (Photo: Reuters/Amir Cohen)

Israel's defense forces announced this week that the battling Hamas group may have up to 5,000 rockets in its arsenal, a fact that, if true, could prolong the current Middle East conflict.

Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner, a spokesman for the Israeli Defense Forces, told USA Today this week that since the missile fire exchange between Israel and the Gaza Strip began on July 8, Israel estimated that Hamas was storing about 10,000 rockets.

Over the three week battle, Hamas has fired 2,600 rockets onto Israeli soil, and Israeli officials have also managed to destroy about 3,000, Lerner estimated. Therefore, there are still roughly 5,000 rockets remaining in Hamas' possession, meaning a ceasefire agreement could still be far away as the Palestinian group has enough ammunition to last it several more weeks.

Lerner said one of the challenges of knowing Hamas's rocket count is finding it, as the Palestinian group keeps most of their rockets hidden underground. "Everything is concealed," Lerner told USA Today. "Everything is taking place below ground. That is a challenge."

The battle between Israel and Hamas continues this week, even taking place on Monday, the Muslim holiday recognizing the end to the month-long Ramadan observance. Both groups have rejected multiple ceasefire proposals brokered by Secretary of State John Kerry, Egypt, and Arab League officials.

In response to the rejections, Egypt's mediators announced that they would be revising an agreement deal that they say could satisfy both parties. Since the fighting began earlier in July, Palestine reports its death toll to be at a current 1,200, while Israel's death toll is at 53 soldier deaths and 3 civilians casualties.