Hamas Gives Rocket Warnings In Hebrew As Gaza Crisis Uses 'Unprecedented Psychological Warfare'

'Unprecedented Psychological Warfare': The Terrifying Warnings Issued By Both Sides In Gaza Crisis
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Hamas has embarked on "unprecedented" psychological warfare by broadcasting threats and warnings of imminent rocket attacks to Israelis in Hebrew, as it steps up its response to Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip.

The militant group has fired hundreds of rockets as Israel conducts air strikes and sends in ground forces to the densely-populated territory.

Israel has also continued its 'knock on roof' bombing, dropping loud but non-lethal devices on buildings to warn the inhabitants the building is about to be targeted.

A total of 172 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have died in in the attacks since Israeli operations began last Tuesday.

Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes and sent in special forces troops on Sunday. It has said the operation is intended to end the rocket fire against Israel.

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Israelis comfort each other as they take cover under a tunnel during a rocket attack in Tel Aviv

Thousands of civilians fled northern Gaza at the weekend when Israel dropped leaflets warning of further strikes there.

Over the weekend, Hamas broadcast a warning via its television station of its plan to fire rockets at Tel Aviv with only an hour's notice.

Abu Ubeida, spokesman of the group’s armed wing, gave the warning which was followed by an audio translation in Hebrew.

"Zionists, wait and see stabbing attacks everywhere. Wait for suicide attacks on every bus, café and street. Wait for the rage and for revenge for Gaza, wait for the flames of the West Bank and inside you," another broadcast in Hebrew said, The Jerusalem Post reported.

The group has also reportedly set up a Hebrew-language website that gives news, videos and pictures of its activity and what is happening in Gaza.

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Palestinians flee Israeli offensive
Mideast Israel Palestinians(01 of17)
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Displaced Palestinians seek refuge in a United Nations school in Gaza City after fleeing their homes Sunday, July 13, 2014. Israel has called on residents of the northern Gaza Strip to evacuate their homes, suggesting a coming attack after its troops earlier launched a brief raid. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Displaced Palestinians seek refuge in a United Nations school in Gaza City after fleeing their homes Sunday, July 13, 2014. Israel has called on residents of the northern Gaza Strip to evacuate their homes, suggesting a coming attack after its troops earlier launched a brief raid. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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An elderly Palestinian takes shelter at the United Nations school after his family fled their homes in Gaza City on Sunday, July 13, 2014. Israel briefly deployed ground troops inside the Gaza Strip for the first time early Sunday as its military warned northern Gaza residents to evacuate their homes, part of a widening offensive that has killed more than 160 Palestinians. (AP Photo/Adel Hana) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Palestinians drive past a building destroyed by an Israeli strike on Friday, in Gaza City, Sunday, July 13, 2014. Thousands of Palestinian residents of the northern Gaza Strip fled their homes on Sunday and sought safety in U.N. shelters, heeding warnings from the Israeli military about impending plans to bomb the area in the sixth day of an offensive against Hamas that has killed more than 160 people. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Palestinians flee their homes to take shelter at the United Nations school in Gaza City, Sunday, July 13, 2014. Israel briefly deployed ground troops inside the Gaza Strip for the first time early Sunday as its military warned northern residents to evacuate their homes, part of a widening campaign against militant rocket fire that's seen more than 160 Palestinians killed. Israel accuses Hamas of using Gaza's civilians as human shields by firing rockets from there. Critics say Israel's heavy bombardment of one of the most densely populated territories in the world is itself the main factor putting civilians at risk. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
APTOPIX Mideast Israel Palestinians(06 of17)
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Palestinians flee their homes to take shelter at the United Nations school in Gaza City, Sunday, July 13, 2014. Israel briefly deployed ground troops inside the Gaza Strip for the first time early Sunday as its military warned northern residents to evacuate their homes, part of a widening campaign against militant rocket fire that's seen more than 160 Palestinians killed. Israel accuses Hamas of using Gaza's civilians as human shields by firing rockets from there. Critics say Israel's heavy bombardment of one of the most densely populated territories in the world is itself the main factor putting civilians at risk. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Palestinians take shelter at the United Nations school after they fled their homes in Gaza City on Sunday, July 13, 2014. Israel briefly deployed ground troops inside the Gaza Strip for the first time early Sunday as its military warned northern Gaza residents to evacuate their homes, part of a widening offensive that has killed more than 160 Palestinians. (AP Photo/Adel Hana) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Palestinians take shelter at the United Nations school after they fled their homes in Gaza City, Sunday, July 13, 2014. Israel briefly deployed ground troops inside the Gaza Strip for the first time early Sunday as its military warned northern Gaza residents to evacuate their homes, part of a widening offensive that has killed more than 160 Palestinians. (AP Photo/Adel Hana) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Palestinians take shelter at the United Nations school after they fled their homes in Gaza City on Sunday, July 13, 2014. Israel briefly deployed ground troops inside the Gaza Strip for the first time early Sunday as its military warned northern Gaza residents to evacuate their homes, part of a widening offensive that has killed more than 160 Palestinians. (AP Photo/Adel Hana) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Palestinians flee their homes to take shelter at the United Nations school, in Gaza City, Sunday, July 13, 2014. Israel briefly deployed ground troops inside the Gaza Strip for the first time early Sunday as its military warned northern residents to evacuate their homes, part of a widening campaign against militant rocket fire that's seen more than 160 Palestinians killed. Israel accuses Hamas of using Gaza's civilians as human shields by firing rockets from there. Critics say Israel's heavy bombardment of one of the most densely populated territories in the world is itself the main factor putting civilians at risk. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Palestinians flee their homes to take shelter at the United Nations school in Gaza City, Sunday, July 13, 2014. Israel briefly deployed ground troops inside the Gaza Strip for the first time early Sunday as its military warned northern residents to evacuate their homes, part of a widening campaign against militant rocket fire that's seen more than 160 Palestinians killed. Israel accuses Hamas of using Gaza's civilians as human shields by firing rockets from there. Critics say Israel's heavy bombardment of one of the most densely populated territories in the world is itself the main factor putting civilians at risk. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Displaced Palestinians seek refuge at a United Nations school in Gaza City after fleeing their homes. Sunday, July 13, 2014. Israel has called on residents of the northern Gaza Strip to evacuate their homes, suggesting a coming attack after its troops earlier launched a brief raid. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Mideast Israel Palestinians(13 of17)
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Palestinians flee their homes to take shelter at the United Nations school in Gaza City, Sunday, July 13, 2014. Israel briefly deployed ground troops inside the Gaza Strip for the first time early Sunday as its military warned northern residents to evacuate their homes, part of a widening campaign against militant rocket fire that's seen more than 160 Palestinians killed. Israel accuses Hamas of using Gaza's civilians as human shields by firing rockets from there. Critics say Israel's heavy bombardment of one of the most densely populated territories in the world is itself the main factor putting civilians at risk. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Mideast Israel Palestinians(14 of17)
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Displaced Palestinians seek refuge in a United Nations school in Gaza City after fleeing their homes Sunday, July 13, 2014. Israel has called on residents of the northern Gaza Strip to evacuate their homes, suggesting a coming attack after its troops earlier launched a brief raid. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Mideast Israel Palestinians(15 of17)
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Displaced Palestinians seek refuge at a United Nations school in Gaza City after fleeing their homes. Sunday, July 13, 2014. Israel has called on residents of the northern Gaza Strip to evacuate their homes, suggesting a coming attack after its troops earlier launched a brief raid. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Displaced Palestinians seek refuge in a United Nations school in Gaza City after fleeing their homes Sunday, July 13, 2014. Israel has called on residents of the northern Gaza Strip to evacuate their homes, suggesting a coming attack after its troops earlier launched a brief raid. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Displaced Palestinians seek refuge in a United Nations school in Gaza City after fleeing their homes Sunday, July 13, 2014. Israel has called on residents of the northern Gaza Strip to evacuate their homes, suggesting a coming attack after its troops earlier launched a brief raid. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

It has also translated one of its battle hymns 'Shake Israel's Security' into Hebrew and posted it to YouTube, Al-Arabiya reported.

Amnon Abromovitch, an analyst for Israeli television, described their propaganda efforts as "unprecedented" and said "it appears to have achieved its objective".

Psychological warfare has been used by the Israelis as well.

The IDF uses a controversial tactic of 'knock on roof' bombing, where loud but non-lethal devices are dropped on buildings to warn the inhabitants it is about to be targeted.

A video of one of these attacks has been released by a Gazan news agency.

The agency said the people were contacted by the IDF, which warned an attack was imminent. Quarter of an hour later, the warning missile was fired.

Five minutes after that, two missiles from an F16 jet struck the building, the agency said.

While the IDF claim this is designed to minimise civilian casualties, Amnesty International has said there is "no way" firing a missile at a civilian home "can constitute an effective warning".

The IDF has also been making phone calls to civilians in Gaza to warn them that an attack near their home is imminent.

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Residents of Sderot in Israel show the remains of a rocket fired at the town

More than 700 rockets have been fired at the south and centre of Israel since the fighting began last week.

Meanwhile, thousands of Gazans have fled the north of the territory after Israel dropped leaflets warning of imminent strikes - a total of 17,000 headed to UN shelters, the organisation said.

Sunday was the bloodiest day of the onslaught so far, with Israeli strikes killing 54 people, including 18 of them from the same family when their home was bombed.

Mass funerals have been taking place in Gaza.