5 Palestinians killed after mortar attack on IDF base Negev
Mortar shell fired by Palestinians in Gaza hits infirmary in IDF base; four soldiers mildly wounding. IDF kills 5 armed Palestinians in Gaza
Four soldiers were lightly injured Sunday evening from a mortar hit on an infirmary in an IDF base adjoining Kibbutz Nahal Oz, next to the Gaza Strip.
The injured soldiers, three men and one woman, were evacuated to Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon and Soroka Hospital in Beersheba to receive treatment for their wounds. Around 15 mortars have been fired thus far Sunday from the Gaza Strip toward Israel.
There were between 5-8 mortars in the barrage that hit the base, one of which hit the base infirmary in which four soldiers had sought shelter. One paramedic broke her hand, two other soldiers were hit by flying shrapnel and a fourth went into shock. The injured soldiers received immediate first aid from on-base medical personnel.
Evacuating the wounded (Photo: Amir Cohen)
The mortar that hit the infirmary caused serious structural damage to the building as well as a fire that was quickly extinguished. Soldiers on the base told Ynet that many fled to seek cover. Additional mortars landed in an adjoining field.
Between Sunday night and early Monday morning, five palestinians were killed in two separate IDF actions in the northern Gaza Strip. An IDF force killed two gunmen who were trying to launch a mortar shell into Israel, and later a Golani Brigade force in the Saja'eeyah area killed three armed men attempting to reach the border fence.
Earlier, a barrage of more than 10 mortars were fired toward the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council. Three mortars landed in a kibbutz, while the rest landed in open fields near the Gaza border fence. No injuries or damage were reported.
A kibbutz resident told ynet, "After a relatively long period without mortar attacks, we heard loud explosions. Unfortunately we don't have an alert system, so after the first explosion we ran for shelter. We hope this does not mark the beginning of a new era."
Also on Sunday, a Qassam rocket landed in an open field near Sderot.
In the past week, dozens of mortars were fired from the Gaza Strip. Last Friday five mortars landed near the border fence. Two days earlier, seven mortars were fired from the Strip and landed in open field.
On Wednesday the Israeli Air Force attacked a Hamas post in southern Gaza, killing two militants.
Shmulik Hadad contributed to this report
