Must-Sees: The Gaza war on-line

As Kassams from Gaza rain down on the South and Katyusha rockets launched from Lebanon hit the North, Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip continues while the Northern Command remains on high alert on the Lebanese border.  Meanwhile, a fierce battle for the hearts and minds of people around the world rages on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, popular blogs and forums and various media outlets.

The following webpages, videos and photos illustrate the ferocity of the on-line element of the Gaza war.

A message of peace to the people of Gaza from the people of Israel (in Palestinian Arabic with English and Russian subtitles). Courtesy of Jewlicious.

IBA's Leah Stern goes to Sderot to interview ordinary citzens, soldiers and Israeli-Arabs building shelters for residents to seek shelter from the rockets.

What happens when a rocket hits mere meters from you? Watch this video to find out.

A young woman who lives near Sderot describes how her daily life is disrupted by the Kassam rockets launched from the Gaza Strip.

A video circulated on YouTube and Facebook showing Hamas police and security forces shooting at and rounding up Palestinian civilians.

A series of pro-Israel hasbara videos and tools circulating on YouTube and Facebook:

- The need for more Israel solidarity rallies: If you want to find out about rallies in your area or if you are organizing a rally and need some help with tips, sign ideas etc, Check out Stand With Us.

- Want to help Israel's PR Efforts? Show the world what Israel is going through! CNN is looking for iReport from "The Crisis in the Middle East."  To submit photos from Israel, go to www.ireport.com, Then go to the "Assignment Desk" and click on "Crisis in the Middle East." From there, "Share Your Story" Register, upload your original pictures, and give a brief description of the pictures…show the world what the citizens of Israel experience because of the Hamas rocket fire from the south! In addition, your photos can be featured on CNN!

- Visit Twitter on this page to receive the latest on QassamCount. Today's QassamCount: Hamas fired 25 rockets at Israel Wednesday & 12 so far today. 3 Lebanon rockets hit Northern Israel today. QassamCount can also update your Facebook status automatically if you Donate Your Status to the cause. For more info, read the Jerusalem Post's article on QassamCount as a tool of solidarity.

- Another organization that has joined the effort is Help Us Win. Their websites provides you with information and talking pionts on how you can help. See the Jerusalem Post article about more information on how this organization works to win the media war.

- This Facebook group urges all those supporting Israel in this war to change their profile pictures to the Israeli flag. You can either use the pic they provide your upload your own picture of an Israeli flag.

- This group 'I Wonder How Quickly I Can Find 1,000,000 People Who Support Israel' on Facebook provides the latest news on fun-raising activities for families of IDF soldiers wounded or killed during Operation Cast Lead. As the group's stated goal, once it reaches 250,000 members, it will petition Facebook to remove all groups that encourage violence and hatred against Israel and Israelis.

- 'I Support Israel in the War Against Terrorism' is another such group expressing solidarity with the State of Israel against Islamic terror.

- I Support the Israel Defense Forces In Preventing Terror Attacks From Gaza has about 64,000 members and has been covered by CNN, FoxNews and the Jewish Week.

- From the IDF Spokesperson's office, 'Hamas' Escalation to Confontation' details the events - from the Disengagement in 2005 until today's Operation Cast Lead - that led to the present situation.

For more videos including interviews with top officials, vlogs (video blogs) and IAF aerial shots, visit the IDF Spokesperson's Unit YouTube Channel.

- A BBC interview with an Israeli soldier who explains why 'Israel had no choice'.

- Maj. Avital Leibovich from the IDF Spokesperson's office explains the extent of Israel's efforts alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Here are a series of clips and photos from pro-Hamas and pro-Israel demonstrators across the world during Operation Cast Lead:

Pro-Israel and anti-Israel protestors demonstrate across the street from each other in Oslo, Norway on January 10, 2009. Some demonstrators clash with police who use tear gas and other means to disperse them. Kaffiyeh-clad youth get violent and vandalize police property in Part 2 and Part 3.

A demonstration in Fort Lauderdale, FL on December 30, 2008 gets ugly. Approximately 10 minutes in, a young woman shouts at the counter-demonstrators across the street "Go back to the oven!".

Counter-demonstrators at an anti-Israel rally in Los Angeles, California

The following isn't a clip. It is a picture of protestor at an anti-Israel demonstration taken in New York City that was circulated on Facebook and in emails. Behold:

Pro-Israel demonstration in Boston, December 30, 2008

A Pro-Israel rally in NYC January 6, 2009

An anti-Israel demonstration in San Fransisco on January 2, 2009 gets violent.

The following videos illustrate the possibilities ahead and the horror of daily life under rocket fire:

What if a rocket launched from Beit Hanun in the Gaza Strip hit somewhere in the heart of Tel Aviv? This video explores that possibility: 'Distance is only a matter of time'.

Residents in the city of Sderot have 15 seconds to find cover from the time the Tzeva Adom [Red Alert] siren sounds until a Kassam rocket hits. This video illustrates.

An animated illustration of rockets hitting Paris, London and Berlin.

Sderot Media Center released this video shortly before the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas expired on December 19th, 2008. It describes and illustrates what life under Kassam fire is like in Sderot and predicted the renewal of intense Kassam attacks once the ceasefire ended.

New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg takes to the airwaves on CNN to defend Israel -- and pushes back against the anchor's push back: