A/HRC/12/48 page 87 B. The phases of the hostilities 1. Air phase201 333. The Israeli armed forces began the military operations with a week-long air attack, from 27 December until 3 January 2009. One study suggests that they had drawn up a list of 603 targets to be hit as they belonged to Hamas suspects or were part of what Israel viewed as the Hamas infrastructure. The study claims that a senior Israeli officer reported that all 603 targets had been hit before the end of the fourth day of the aerial operations in the first week. Officially, the spokesman of the Israeli forces claimed that 526 targets had been hit by 31 December 2008.202 334. An analysis of the strikes in a report of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights gives the following breakdown. 335. “IOF [Israeli occupation forces] have launched at least 300 air and sea strikes against the Gaza Strip. These strikes have targeted 37 houses; 67 security and training sites; 20 workshops; 25 public and private institutions; seven mosques; and three educational institutions. The public institutions that have been bombarded are: the compound of ministries, the building of the Palestinian Legislative Council, the building of the cabinet in Gaza City; the buildings of the agricultural control department and the Municipality of Bani Suhaila in Khan Yunis; the buildings of Rafah Municipality and Governorate. The air strikes have targeted also four money exchange shops, a clinic, three fishing harbours, the Islamic University and two schools.”203 336. Of the incidents addressed in detail in this report, the following occurred during this phase: • • • • The attack on Arafat City Police Station; Attacks on four other police stations, one in Deir al-Balah and three in Gaza City; The attack on the Palestinian Legislative Council building and the Ministry of Justice; The attack on Gaza main prison in the al-Sarayah complex, Gaza City. 337. Israeli air force activities continued throughout the military operations. In total, it has been suggested that between 2,300 and 3,000 sorties were flown.204 Although principally recognized as an aerial phase, there was a significant contribution from the Israeli navy not only in the first week. 201 202 Cordesman, op. cit., p. 30. PCHR, “Weekly report on Israeli human rights violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”, No. 51/2008 (24–31 December 2008), available at: http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/English/2008/pdf/weekly%20report%2051.pdf. 203 Cordesman, op. cit., p. 41. He cites Lt. Gen. Ashkenazi saying that the air force flew 2,300 successful air strikes but notes other senior officials told him the real number was closer to 3,000. 204