10 Qassams fired at Israel

A Qassam rocket fired from the northern Gaza Strip on Friday evening landed in a kibbutz in the western Negev, bringing to ten the number of Qassams fired Friday at Israel.

Residents said windows were shattered but reported no injuries.

Ofer Lieberman, a resident of the kibbutz, told Ynet: "We are fed up with saying the state is abandoning us … Maybe there is no physical harm but there are people here who were hurt in the soul. Most children in the kibbutz are being treated at the psychological center."

"We consider ourselves a dangerous kibbutz. When ever we hear the Red Dawn alarm system, we have no choice but pray to God … because we have no place to hide in a be safe," he added.

Sha'ar Hanegev council head Alon Shuster, lashed out at the government over it failure to build shelters in residential areas exposed to Qassam attacks: "What else needs to happen for the government to say that this is a frontline and an emergency situation."

On Friday afternoon a rocket landed near a western Negev kibbutz, causing no injuries or damage. The 'Color Red' alert system was activated, and security forces were dispatched to the scene to locate the rocket.

By roughly 2:00 p.m. Friday, nine rockets had been fired at Israel from northern Gaza.

One landed in the Shear Hanegev regional council, two landed in the Eshkol area, and one hit near the Karni Crossing.

Two more rockets landed in the strip between Kibbutz Nahal Oz and Kibbutz Alumim. Another rocket, which was fired towards Ashkelon, landed apparently along the Zikim beach or in the sea.

All of the rockets landed in open areas, and no damages or injuries were reported in any of the incidents .

Over 60 rockets were fired from Gaza since the ceasefire, Some landed within the Strip's area and most fell in Israel.

Can't count on gov't

Avi Farhan, a resident of Sderot, intends to file a petition to the High Court of Justice demanding that the State act against the Qassam fire.

Farhan sent a letter to the prime minister this week, in which he demands to know what the government plans to do against the continuous rocket attacks.

"We are now awaiting the government's response," Farhan said. "Apart from the idle threats and declarations, we are not seeing any response, only more goodwill gestures to the Palestinians, arming them with weapons that will be used against us, and opening roadblocks in Judea and Samaria, a step that is bound to increase terror there as well."

"We will ask the High Court to demand that the gambling on the lives of the residents of Sderot and the surrounding area stops," he concluded.

Head of the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council Alon Shuster said that the situation remains unchanged.

"The only thing that changes is the Qassam fire and the fact that we are still under an alleged ceasefire."

"As a council, we've stopped relying on the government, and in light of information from IDF officers – who said that we are moving towards an escalation – we are making plans for the evacuation of the population if the need arises. We understand that we can't count on the government in this matter too," he stated.

"We also demand that the residents' houses and the educational facilities in Sderot be fortified," Shuster added.

Hope in Sderot  

A significant improvement occurred Thursday in the condition of 14-year old Adir Basad who was injured by a Qassam rocket in Sderot Tuesday.

Basad’s doctors at the Barzilai hospital in Ashkelon said that he was conscious and breathing independently. The hospital’s Deputy Director Dr. Emil Hai said that Basad was taken off the respirator Thursday morning, and that he even managed to communicate a little with his family.

“We hope the improvement continues,” he said, but pointed out that in his present condition, any small change could affect Basad.