Ashkelon mayor near Qassam (Archive photo)
Photo: Ran Yad'i
IDF: No solution to Qassam fire
Military officials admit there is no substantial solution to rocket fire except for existing protective equipment and artillery fire aimed at Qassam-launching areas; Engineering Corps head tells Ynet 'IDF knows how to provide best possible defense'
There is no real solution to the recent Qassam fire and at present protective gear and artillery fire is the best solution, IDF officials said Thursday, after a rocket landed in a military base south of Ashkelon, injuring five soldiers.
"It's obvious that there is a certain danger, but we are doing all we can to minimize it. Carrying weapons and driving in a car also has its risks, but we cannot stop everything that is dangerous," a commanding officer of one of the southern Ashkelon bases said.
No Answer?
Hanan Greenberg
Qassam fire continues: Five IDF soldiers sustain light, moderate injuries after Qassam rocket lands in military base south of Ashkelon; army responds with artillery fire, one Palestinian reportedly killed
Every time a parent calls they are explained that "the IDF is doing all it can to minimize the extent of fire, including artillery fire at areas from which Qassams are launched and other activities," the officer said.
'We can still hear the noises ringing in our ears'
Meanwhile, Engineering Corps Chief Brigadier General Shimon Daniel, who presides over another Ashkelon base that came under Qassam fire Tuesday, tried to calm the public.
"I'm confident the soldiers are provided with good, if not reasonable protection; the IDF knows how to provide the best possible defense," he said during a professional convention on protection at an IDF base.
Soldiers stationed at the bases under his command undergo personal training in order to know how to handle rocket attacks and are provided with flak jackets and additional protective equipment.
However, despite Daniel's efforts to calm the public, many concerned parents called army base commanders and senior officers Thursday to determine whether their children were safe.
Troops at the base hit by the Qassam earlier told Ynet about the panic that followed the rocket attack.
“We heard an explosion near the dining hall,” one soldier said. “At first we didn’t understand what happened but within several seconds it became clear a Qassam landed here. Several soldiers were hit by shrapnel and we can still hear the noises ringing in our ears.”
