General

* The Home Front Command is one of the four commands of the IDF. The Home Front Command is divided into five regions (congruent with the regions of the Israel Police), and consists of an array of search and rescue personnel, both in their compulsory army service and in the reserves.

* The functions of the Home Front Command include:

- Being a professional organization in the fields of search and rescue, protection, and hazardous materials.

- Directing the public and emergency personnel in the field of civil defense (via various information channels).

- Helping to strengthen and maintain national resilience in emergencies (by helping find solutions to problems, calming the public).

- Handling search and rescue missions in Israel (and throughout the world). The search and rescue personnel of the Home Front Command are deployed even now in threatened areas at high alert to respond whenever necessary.

* The Home Front Command acts jointly with other emergency organizations – the Israel Police, the Red Magen David, firefighters, local authorities and government ministries – in order to save lives, minimize damage, and make sure that life returns to normal as fast as possible.

The Qassam is a surface-to-surface rocket.

The rocket is constructed of a hollow pipe containing explosives. It can cause damage to structures and to people who are not in secure spaces.

Up to a few kilograms.

No. Unlike a missile, it is not possible to insert unconventional means of warfare into the rocket’s warhead.

Currently, the effective range is between 1 and 12 km. A standard surface-to-surface rocket has an effective range of about 25 km.

The Qassam is an improvised weapon, and is therefore not accurate.

The Qassam rocket is an improvised weapon. In order to reach deep into settlements in the southern region of Israel, the enemy has to move northwards into the Gaza Strip, and launch the Qassams from there.

The destruction radius of a Qassam is up to 5 m.

A launcher can launch only one rocket at a time. However, several launchers can be readied and used to launch several rockets at the same time.

Hostile terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip, particularly the Fatah, Hamas, and the Islamic Jihad.

There are two main differences between a rocket and a missile:

* Accuracy: A missile is more accurate than a rocket (because of the guidance system with which it is equipped), and therefore can be aimed at a specific target with a high probability that it will land where intended.

* Range: A missile has a greater range than a rocket.

A Qassam rocket might penetrate a concrete structure, but not cause it to collapse. Furthermore, a rocket might penetrate plaster walls and unstable buildings, and cause damage.

The Israel Police, together with the IDF and various emergency personnel (firefighters, the Red Magen David), are all responsible for responding.