Osher Twito was nine years old when he lost a leg in a rocket attack. Photo: Chas Newkey-Burden

The rockets that terrorists from Gaza fire into Israel have killed and maimed many Israelis.

For instance, between 2006 and 2011, 44 Israelis were killed and 1,687 injured by Gaza rockets. These figures include many children, as terrorists often fire rockets when Israeli children are walking to school. More than one million Israelis live in range of rocket attack from Gaza.

What do Israel’s critics have to say about this?

Channel 4 News presenter Jon Snow describes the rockets thusly: “pretty pathetic things – nobody gets injured”. The Electronic Intifada’s Ali Abunimah complained only yesterday about Israelis “whining about rockets”. Other opponents of Israel have dismissed the rockets as mere “fireworks”, and sneered that their only effect is to unsettle the pets of a handful of Israeli families.

Cousins Dorit Benisian and Yuval Abebeh are among those who have been killed by these rockets. Dorit was two years old and Yuval was four. Osher Twito (pictured) was nine years old when he lost a leg in a rocket attack.

Rockets: pretty pathetic things – nobody gets injured.