Hamas's military wing introduced early Qassam rockets from Gaza during the Second Intifada; Israeli government chronology records a Qassam-1 fired at Sderot on November 1, 2001.
Artillery
Qassam-series unguided rocket
Also known as
- Qassam
- Qassam rocket
- Kassam rocket
- Qassam-1
- Qassam-2
- Qassam-3
- Qassam-4
The Qassam-series rocket is a locally produced, unguided steel-tube artillery rocket family associated with Hamas's Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. Introduced from Gaza during the Second Intifada, the family evolved from a 3-4 km Qassam-1 into longer-range improvised variants while remaining a low-cost area-fire weapon documented in repeated Gaza-Israel rocket wars.
Role in Conflicts
Human Rights Watch documented repeated Qassam and other rocket attacks by Palestinian armed groups from Gaza into southern Israel during and around Operation Cast Lead.
During Operation Protective Edge, Hamas and other Gaza-based groups fired rockets into Israel; IDF campaign material and wartime arsenal reporting identify large stocks of self-produced short-range rockets, the local category represented by Qassam-family weapons.
Hamas-led forces fired Qassam-series rockets from Gaza into Israel during the October 7, 2023 opening attack, using massed indirect fire to pressure air defenses and cover cross-border assaults.
Role detailsDocumented Variant Evolution
Open reporting is strongest on the first two Qassam variants. Later Qassam designations appear in public reference material, but conflict reporting often identifies the family rather than a precise model.
| Variant | Reported range | Documented note |
|---|---|---|
| Qassam-1 | About 3-4 km | First launched in autumn 2001; Israeli chronology records a Qassam-1 fired at Sderot on 2001-11-01. |
| Qassam-2 | About 10 km | Reportedly able to reach the southern outskirts of Ashkelon. |
| Qassam-3 / Qassam-4 | Later short-range variants | Listed in open reference material, but public sourcing is less consistent on exact production batches and conflict-specific model identification. |
Profile / Specs
Profile
- Origin
- Gaza Strip
- Built in
- Palestinian territories
- Type
- Improvised short-range unguided rocket family
- Service note
- Introduced in September 2001; documented in Gaza rocket arsenals through the 2023 Israel-Hamas War
- Designer
- Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades
- Designed
- 2001
- Unit cost
- Reportedly $300-$800 per rocket
- Produced
- 2001-present
- Number built
- Unknown; locally produced in Gaza workshops
Specifications
- Range
- Qassam-1 first launched in autumn 2001 with about 3-4 km range; later Qassam-2 variants reached about 10 km and could reach Ashkelon's southern outskirts
- Guidance
- Unguided; no terminal seeker or precision guidance
- Propulsion
- Improvised solid propellant, commonly described as sugar mixed with potassium nitrate
- Construction
- Steel or metal tube body with fixed stabilizing fins; manufactured in Gaza garages and backroom workshops
- Warhead
- Improvised high-explosive warhead; later variants reportedly added metal pellets to increase lethality
- Launch method
- Fired from improvised steel-frame or locally fabricated launch positions rather than standardized self-propelled launchers
Launch Infrastructure
Open reporting describes Qassam rockets as being launched from mobile, improvised steel frames rather than standardized military launchers.
| Firing weapon | Weapon type | Firing evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Improvised rocket launcher | This launcher page represents the kind of locally fabricated Hamas firing position that fits the Qassam launch method described in open reporting. Sources: Weapon of Terror: Development and Impact of the Qassam Rocket, Qassam Rockets and Weapon Reviews |
Timeline
Qassam-series unguided rocket Key Events
Hamas introduces the Qassam in Gaza
The Washington Institute reports that Hamas first introduced Qassam rockets in Gaza in September 2001, after the start of the Second Intifada.
Sources: Weapon of Terror: Development and Impact of the Qassam Rocket
Qassam-1 fired at Sderot
Israeli government chronology records Hamas's military wing firing a Qassam-1 rocket at Sderot on November 1, 2001.
Sources: Rocket threat from the Gaza Strip, 2000-2007
Qassam-1 first launches
The Qassam-1 was first launched in autumn 2001 and had a maximum range of about 3 to 4 km.
Sources: Weapon of Terror: Development and Impact of the Qassam Rocket, Qassam-1 Palestinian Short-Range Rocket
Later variants reach about 10 km
By 2008, reported improvements had extended the family to roughly 10 km, with Qassam-2 described as able to reach Ashkelon's southern outskirts.
Sources: Weapon of Terror: Development and Impact of the Qassam Rocket
Qassam fire documented during the 2008 Gaza War
Human Rights Watch documented Qassam and other Palestinian rocket attacks from Gaza into southern Israel during the period around Operation Cast Lead.
Sources: Rockets from Gaza
2014 Gaza War rocket fire begins
IDF campaign material describes rocket fire from Gaza throughout Operation Protective Edge, while wartime arsenal reporting identified Hamas stocks of self-produced short-range rockets.
Sources: IDF Operation Protective Edge, Special Report: The Deadly Rocket Arsenal of Hamas
Used in the opening barrage of the 2023 Israel-Hamas War
UN reporting and conflict research note that Hamas-led forces fired Qassam-series rockets during the opening barrage that accompanied the 7 October 2023 attacks from Gaza into Israel.
Sources: Qassam Rockets and Weapon Reviews, Drones and the Hamas-led Attack of 7 October 2023, Detailed Findings on Attacks Carried Out on and after 7 October 2023 in Israel
Media
Qassam-series unguided rocket Images
Related Weapon Systems
Sources
Qassam Rockets and Weapon ReviewsPublisher: Lieber Institute, West Point | Note: Supports 2023 Israel-Hamas War direct use and background on Qassam rockets as crude unguided steel or metal-tube area weapons launched from improvised arrangements. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Drones and the Hamas-led Attack of 7 October 2023Publisher: Perspectives on Terrorism via JSTOR | Note: Supports 2023 Israel-Hamas War direct use: Qassam-series rockets were fired by Hamas-led forces in the October 7, 2023 initial barrage that covered cross-border assaults. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Detailed Findings on Attacks Carried Out on and after 7 October 2023 in IsraelPublisher: United Nations Human Rights Council | Note: Supports broader 2023 Israel-Hamas War rocket-fire context: Hamas armed wing and other Palestinian armed groups fired rockets and mortar shells from Gaza into Israel from October 7, 2023 onward. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Rocket threat from the Gaza Strip, 2000-2007Publisher: Government of Israel | Note: Supports Second Intifada direct use: Hamas's military wing fired a Qassam-1 rocket at Sderot on November 1, 2001; also supports early Gaza rocket background. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Rockets from GazaPublisher: Human Rights Watch | Note: Supports 2008 Gaza War direct use: Human Rights Watch documented Qassam and other rockets fired by Palestinian armed groups from Gaza into southern Israel during and around Operation Cast Lead. | Accessed: 2026-07-01IDF Operation Protective EdgePublisher: Israel Defense Forces | Note: Supports 2014 Gaza War direct use context: IDF campaign material identifies rocket fire from Gaza as a core feature of Operation Protective Edge. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Special Report: The Deadly Rocket Arsenal of HamasPublisher: Israel Defense Forces | Note: Supports 2014 Gaza War arsenal context, including Hamas self-produced short-range rockets and broader Gaza militant rocket stocks at the start of Operation Protective Edge. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Weapon of Terror: Development and Impact of the Qassam RocketPublisher: The Washington Institute for Near East Policy | Note: Supports background, development history, Gaza production context, and reported range evolution for Qassam rockets. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Qassam-1 Palestinian Short-Range RocketPublisher: U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command OE Data Integration Network | Note: Supports baseline weapon classification and specifications for the Qassam-1 short-range rocket. | Accessed: 2026-07-01GazaWATCH: The Terrorist ThreatPublisher: Jewish Policy Center | Note: Supports Second Intifada direct-use context by noting Qassams were first fired at Israeli civilian targets in October 2001; also supports variant-designation and specification context for Qassam I-IV. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Gazan Rockets ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for a display of Qassam rockets fired from Gaza; listed as CC BY-SA 4.0. | Accessed: 2026-07-01How much does Hamas's rocket arsenal cost?Publisher: The Jerusalem Post | Note: Reports estimate the main short-range Qassam at $300-$800 each and discuss Hamas rocket cost context. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Qassam Rocket ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for a Qassam rocket photo; listed as CC BY-SA 2.0. | Accessed: 2026-07-01