Sderot: Man injured in Qassam attack
Rocket lands in residential neighborhood in southern town, injuring one person; two other people suffer from shock, slight damage caused to property. Another rocket lands in kibbutz Gevim
The rocket was fired at the town at about 7 a.m., landed on a road and caused slight damage to several cars and houses.
Some 20 minutes later, Palestinians gunmen again fired a rocket from the northern Gaza Strip. The rocket landed in an open field, causing no injuries but causing damage to a tractor.
Prosper Peretz, a town resident who lives near the rocket's landing site, recounted the attack: "We heard a very loud explosion, the entire house was shaking, even the windowpanes. This happened at a time when the children go to school, and luckily for us only one person was injured and several others suffered from shock. It was very scary."
'Airbags saved them'
Another resident, Albert Gabai, said that the man who was wounded by shrapnel was leaving his house along with his 80-year-old uncle on his way to the synagogue when the rocket struck.
"When they entered the car… they suddenly felt a strong blow, and luckily for them the airbags opened, this is apparently what saved them… it was an amazing sight – the entire vehicle was full of holes," he described.
"I think that the airbags prevented a more severe injury. More than a few cars were damaged in the area, and the explosion this time was very loud," he added.
Tomer Bar-Sheshet, a student from Sderot, said: "I was standing not far from where the rocket landed. If I could I would leave Sderot immediately, but I study here in the area, at Sapir College. I expect the government to take hard and painful measures. It makes no sense that while the residents of Gaza sleep quietly at night, the people of Sderot, including children, can't sleep."
Arieh Cohen said that despite the drop in the number of rockets, the locals were still under threat. "We notice that the Palestinians fire one or two rockets every morning, and this is how we start our day in Sderot. Today's explosion was exceptionally loud, and I'm sure this wasn't a regular Qassam. Unfortunately we have gotten used to the blasts."
Rockets keep landing
Three Qassam rockets were fired at Israel from the northern Gaza Strip on Friday morning.
Two rockets landed in hothouses in kibbutz Nativ Ha'asara in the western Negev, while the third exploded in an open field near Shaar Hanegev.
In both incidents no one was injured and no damage was reported.
Despite a considerable drop in rocket firing, the army has been unable to completely stem rocket attacks against Israeli communities bordering Gaza.
On average, ten rockets a week have been falling in Israel over the last five months.
