Deaths from terror down, rocket deaths up

JERUSALEM, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- New data by Israel-based emergency response organization Hatzalah shows terror-related deaths have fallen while rocket-inflicted injuries have spiked.

Officials say the recently released data shows Israeli deaths caused by terrorism fell to 13 in 2007, the lowest number since 1999, according to Hatzalah. Despite this, Israelis wounded by Palestinian Qassam rockets and mortar fire have risen sharply, the Jerusalem Post reported.

The aid organization says Palestinian terrorist rockets and related mortar fire out of the Gaza Strip aimed at nearby Jewish settlements have almost doubled. Officials say there were 227 listed injuries sustained in 2006, and in 2007 464 were reported out of the estimated 871 two-stage rockets that fell in Israel.

"There were fewer casualties, just one suicide (attack) and a shift of terrorist activities from Judea and Samaria to Gaza," Ephraim Goldman, Hatzalah spokesman, said in a statement.

"In Gaza, where the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) has no access, we are seeing a rise in terrorist activity compared to other areas, such as Judea and Samaria. We should be cautiously optimistic about the data because the improvement in our security situation seems to be less as a result of Palestinian terrorist groups' desire to carry out attacks and more as a result of our security forces' diligent work."