Peretz orders full New Year’s closure on territories
Defense minister instructs IDF to impose full closure on West Bank, Gaza, opening of Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt in accordance with periodical security assessments
During a meeting with security establishment officials, Peretz also ordered the opening of the Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt in accordance with periodical security assessments.
Meanwhile, the fighting in the south continued: A Qassam rocket fired from Gaza landed in the western Negev; no injuries or damage were reported.
An apartment building in the southern town of Sderot suffered damage Thursday morning after being directly hit by a Qassam rocket. One of the supporting poles of the building, which was built dozens of years ago, was cracked.
The town's engineer arrived at the place and said that three families must be evacuated from the building.
Another rocket landed in a nearby moshav. There were no injuries in both incidents.
'Russian roulette'
In the afternoon, Palestinian gunmen fired two Qassam rockets from the northern Gaza Strip at Israel. One of the rockets landed in the Sapir College in Shaar Hanegev, causing damage. There were no injuries.
Another rocket landed in an open area in the northern part of Sderot.
Following the heavy damage, Sderot Municipality officials were called to arrive at the place immediately in order to find an alternative place for the families to reside before the holiday.
Avi Farhan, a former Elei Sinai resident who moved to Sderot, told Ynet about the resident's fears.
"This morning we were once again woken up by the Qassam fire and the Red Color warning system. Our children and grandchildren wake up to a Russian roulette before leaving for school.
"We are being fired at from the areas where we used to live – Dugit, Elei Sinai and Nisanit. We call on the IDF and the prime minister to go in and permanently take over the range of hills overlooking Ashkelon and Sderot," he said.
