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Qassam lands in Sderot kindergarten
Rocket lands in schoolyard, damaging nearby buildings, including other adjacent schools. Kindergarten empty due to summer vacation; no casualties
Shmulik Hadad
A rocket launched from northern Gaza landed in a kindergarten schoolyard in Sderot, moments after the completion of a Monday afternoon meeting between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
The al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of Islamic Jihad, took credit for the attack, which caused damaged to nearby buildings, including two other kindergartens and a public elementary school.
Since the structures were empty, due to summer vacation, there were no ensuing casualties.
"We heard the Color Red warning system and, luckily, managed to get into our protected room in time. The impact was very loud. All the buildings in the area shook," said Michael Amsalem, a regional council member and neighborhood resident.
"The rocket fell in a schoolyard and just as easily could have landed on one of the porches of the homes across the street. It's simply a miracle it landed where it did," he told Ynet.
"Unfortunately, this is Hamas' answer to the meeting between (Palestinian President) Mahmoud Abbas and (Prime Minister Ehud) Olmert. We're still waiting for an answer to the rocket problem from (Defense Minister) Ehud Barak or from the prime minister, who continue to do nothing," he added.
Sunday night, a Qassam was launched towards Sderot, while three rockets were fired at the western Negev Friday. One damaged cars and homes when it landed within Sderot city limits and another landed next to a dairy barn in a nearby kibbutz.
In response, the air force attacked a car and a truck carrying Islamic Jihad operatives near Rafah, Saturday night. According to Palestinian reports, one member of the terror organization was killed and five were injured. One passer-by was also killed, they said.
Ali Waked contributed to this report
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