Download FileDownload Executive Summary The hostage crisis precipitated by the October 7, 2023 attack was unprecedented in its scope, complexity, and strategic significance. Israel was confronted with the dual necessity of securing the release of hundreds of hostages held by Hamas while concurrently waging a
In light of the rapidly unfolding “Operation Rising Lion,” the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) has reached out to our experts and analysts to provide clarity on the evolving situation. These interviews aim to shed light on the broader context, underlying dynamics, security and political dimensions
Download FileDownload On Thursday, 12 JUNE 2025, Israel launched an operation targeting Iranian nuclear facilities and military assets. In response, Iran initiated missile and drone attacks against Israel, though with limited success compared to the scale and precision of the Israeli offensive. In response, Iran
Download The motives of terrorism — ideology and hatred It is widely recognized that there is no consensus among scholars of terrorism regarding a single, agreed-upon definition of the phenomenon of terrorism. I use the following definition: “Terrorism is the deliberate use of violence aimed against
Expert Q&A Abstract Since October 7, 2023, Hezbollah has engaged in a war of attrition against Israel on the northern front, aiming to divert Israeli forces from Gaza. Despite both sides’ stated reluctance for full-scale war, recent escalations have heightened tensions. This report delves into
Abstract In the aftermath of Hamas’s violent assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the ensuing conflict, global antisemitism surged dramatically. The Israeli Diaspora Office’s report revealed a 235% increase in antisemitic events in 2023 compared to 2022, with significant incidents reported in the
Abstract This article examines the recent intrusion of Hamas on the international terrorist arena, following its barbaric attack on Israeli territory and Israeli citizens, and the ensuing war in Gaza. It addresses the question if the Hamas’s leaders decision to go global follows the pattern
Abstract This report delves into the alarming rise of incitement on social media platforms, particularly Telegram, amidst the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The focus is on the West Bank, where extremists, some affiliated with Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), utilize these channels for
Abstract This report delves into the unprecedented scale and brutality of the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas in Israel, marking a new phase in violent Islamic extremism. The assault, characterized by mass killings, hostage-taking, and extreme violence, represents the worst pogrom against Jews since
This article provides a thorough examination of the “Change Stream” within the Muslim Brotherhood. It delves into the group’s response to Hamas’ activities and its call for armed revolution against Egypt’s regime, drawing parallels with extremist ideologies like those of Sayyid Qutb, Al-Qaeda, and ISIS.
First published as an op-ed in the Israeli daily Maariv. To understand the threat of the Houthis to Israel since the outbreak of the war against Hamas in Gaza and its regional consequences, it is necessary to understand the unique nature of the organization and
Recent developments in the conflict between Hamas terrorist organization and Israel have seen Hamas call for a ‘rage day’ on Friday the 13th, urging supporters to take action against Israel from the West Bank, within Israel, and bordering states. Their call included encouragement for acts
On October 20, 2023, the ISIS organization published through the weekly “Alanba”, No. 413, an operation to support Muslims in Palestine. The document talks about three main ways in which believers around the world can join the campaign against Israel and in favor of the
In his recent speech broadcast Friday November 3rd, 2023 on Hezbollah’s media channels, Nasrallah addressed several key themes. Firstly, Nasrallah aimed to bolster popular support for the resistance movement by personally appealing to the families of martyrs (57 Hezbollah’s fighters were killed during the war).
In recent weeks, there has been a notable increase in terrorist activities within maritime spaces. Among others, on December 6, the British Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported an incident involving unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) west of Port Hodeidah in Yemen.[1] On December 3rd, UKMTO reported another
On November 22nd, Cyber Toufan al-Aksa hacker group released a press statement on their official Telegram channel, declaring they will halt their ongoing operations against Israel in cyberspace in light of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. They expressed their intent to resume operations after the ceasefire, with
Anonymous Sudan, a pro-Islamic hacker group, has recently published a donation campaign on their Telegram channel, urging contributions through various digital currencies. It should be noted that there is no indication that large number of transactions were made to the group. Operating since January 2023,
The Hamas terror organization launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7th, 2023, under the name “Al-Aqsa Flood”. Hamas fired a rocket barrage of at least 3,000 rockets into Israel and Hamas terrorists crossed the border with Israel. Around 1,200 Israelis were killed and
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned on April 20, 2023, that Israel would likely no longer see limited conflicts on single fronts, but rather would have to face a multi-front escalation in the near future. Defense Minister Galant’s warning proved to be correct and Israel is
The Houthi rebels in Yemen, with Iran’s support, have intensified hostilities by targeting Israel with missiles and drones, signaling their alignment with Hamas, Hezbollah, and other Palestinian resistance groups. Since October 19, 2023, they have attacked Israel multiple times, with interceptions by the USS Carney,
This analysis focuses on the increased threats and calls for violence against Jewish and Israeli targets globally, particularly in the context of the campaign in Gaza and subsequent actions by Hamas and other jihadist groups. Islamic State (IS) and Al-Qaeda have both issued calls for
On October 7, 2023, Hamas, a Palestinian terrorist organization that aims to destroy Israel, launched a violent attack against Israel. This attack directed its members to target Israeli civilians, including women and children, resulting in devastating consequences: the death of 1,400 people, the kidnapping of
The war in Gaza poses difficult challenges to the Hashemite Kingdom, and this happens after a year in which Jordan faced internal crises and external threats (an intra-family crisis and severe economic and social pressures). King Abdullah II knows that his policy regarding the war
The war in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas presents Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi with difficult dilemmas regarding the positions that Egypt should take in relation to this war and its consequences for Egypt and the entire region. The peace agreement signed in
The strategic surprise attack on Israel from Gaza, on 07 October 2023, needs a thorough analysis to understand all its intelligence and operational failures aspects and their impact on Israel, on the regional arena, and beyond. This paper will evaluate the strategic goals of Hamas
On 07 OCTOBER 2023, Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist group based in the Gaza Strip, began a devastating and coordinated attack that shook Israel. Beginning at approximately 0630 (UTC+03), Hamas launched a massive rocket barrage targeting civilian areas while simultaneously Hamas terrorist operatives initiated infiltration operations,
On May 11th, 2022, the anti-IS international coalition addressed the jihadi organizations’ expanding footprint in Africa as a growing threat to world security. As a rule, the presence of jihad on the African continent has been on the rise since the early 2000s. It grew
Cyberspace has become one of the main arenas for state warfare. It is also largely used by non-state actors or state sponsored actors, including criminal networks and terrorist organisations. In recent years, their operations in cyberspace have become a real challenge for global security. Throughout
Summary: Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in mid-August, there has been an increase in attacks byISIS – K militants targeting Taliban members. ISIS – K is based largely in eastern Nangarhar province but the group has ramped up attacks across Afghanistan since the Taliban
30.7.2014Interview with Dr. Ely Karmon to Deutsche Welle in Polish on the Gaza war. 30.7.2014Interview with Dr. Ely Karmon to Deutsche Welle in Portuguese on the Gaza war. 30.7.2014Interview with Dr. Ely Karmon to Deutsche Welle in German on the Gaza war. 26.7.2014Interview with Dr. Ely Karmon to Channel 1 on the Gaza
Prof. Amos Guiora of the University of Utah College of Law says that while self-defense (in the classic model) is the legal basis for Israel’s “Operation Cast Lead” against Hamas, the Israel Defense Forces’ re-articulation of proportionality and collateral damage in that context is a
Among other disadvantages, a lack of clear victory on Hamas would utterly change the balance of power between the moderate Arab states in favor of the radical coalition Iran-Syria-Hizballah-Hamas, thus farther destabilizing the Middle East and enhancing Iran’s hegemonic status in the region as a
This article will shortly be published in the annual “Anti-Semitism Worldwide: 1998/1999” by The Stephen Roth Institute for the Study of Contemporary Anti-Semitism and Racism at Tel Aviv University, Nebraska University Press.
Written by Dr. Ely Karmon and Yael Shahar A cult established in 1987 by Shoko Asahara, Aum aims to take over Japan and then the world; its organizational structure mimics that of a nation-state, with “ministries” and a “pope secretariat.” Followers are controlled by a mix
In order to decide upon an approach for the countering of NBC terrorism we should first evaluate the real threat presented in this field by terrorist organizations, on the short and medium term. The present analysis is based on a research led by the author
Within the gamut of terrorism’s longtime familiar perils, the events of 11 September 2001 constituted a shift in the paradigm of the character of terrorist attacks: it is currently no longer a speculation whether terrorists are consciously willing to kill thousands of innocent people in
The abduction of the 15 British soldiers aboard the HMS Cornwall three days ago is Iran’s way of telling or reminding the world that it is a powerful military and regional force, and that the international community should be advised against overstepping its boundaries when
Psychological Point of View
The interference of terrorist organizations and state sponsors of terrorism in the election campaign
September 13, 2012 Chair : Dr. Daphné Richemond-Barak
September 10, 2013 Chairs: Prof. William Banks and Dr. Daphné Richemond-Barak
Sunday, December 22nd 2013, at 09:30AM Room SL310, Radzyner-Sustainability Building, IDC Campus, Kanfei Nesharim, Herzliya
The conference was a joint effort of the Institute for Counter-Terrorism at IDC, the Institute for National Security and Counter-Terrorism at Syracuse University, and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung. It began on June 30th with a keynote speech and a dinner, followed by two days of panels on topics
The International Humanitarian Law Desk at ICT invites you to a unique event addressing the involvement of children in terrorism. October 29, 2014 at IDC Herzliya
While the efficacy of strikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (also known as Daesh – Al Al-Dawla Al-Islamiya fi al-Iraq wa al-Sham – in Europe) is questioned, lawyers have, in the past months, grappled with the legal frameworkforming the basis of the
A year has passed since Israel and Gaza last went to war but one of the war’s most important lessons has yet to be learned. In its much anticipated report on last summer’s Operation Protective Edge, a commission appointed by the UN Human Rights Council
New Battlefields, Old Laws: From the Hague Conventions to Asymmetric Warfare
Players simulating Belgian decision makers chose to arrest terrorists on Belgian soil rather than order air strike in Syria. Published in the Jerusalem Post
