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Photo: AFP
Qassam rocket (Archive)
Photo: AFP

Rocket lands near hotel in Ashkelon

Rocket fired by Palestinians in northern Gaza Strip lands near hotel on Ashkelon's beach; no injuries or damage reported in attack. Police bomb squad says rocket might have been a Katyusha, as area is out of Qassam range. Ten rockets fired from Gaza Thursday

A Qassam rocket fired from northern Gaza landed near a hotel in the town of Ashkelon Thursday morning. No injuries or damage were reported.

 

The Islamic Jihad's al-Quds Brigades, as well as Salah a-Din Brigades, the PRC's military wing, have claimed the rocket shooting. Earlier, the Popular Front – General Command claimed responsibility for the rocket attack.

 

The police bomb squad was called to the scene and is looking into the possibility that the rocket fired was a Katyusha, as sappers claim that the area is out of Qassam range.

 

This is the third time that a rocket launched from Gaza hits the southern town. In the two previous incidents, rockets landed near the town's port and hit a local school.

 

A resident who was near the hotel at the time of the attack told Ynet: "I was passing in the area when I heard a loud whistle and then a blast. I was terrified because as far as I know, Qassams never reach this place."

 

Ashkelon Mayor Roni Mehatzri said that the strike constituted an escalation in attacks against Israel. "The Home Front Command and the government must reevaluate the situation. The government's foot-dragging cannot go on. This morning's rocket brings Ashdod closer to being the next in line."

 

Heavy downpour

Two Qassam rockets fired from northern Gaza landed in the center of Sderot on Thursday afternoon bringing the total number of rockets fired into Israel from Gaza to ten for the day. Two other rockets landed in open fields south of Ashkelon and on the outskirts of Sderot.

 

One of the two rockets fired into Sderot landed in a backyard and caused damage to the house. The second landed in an open area south of the city. No damage was reported.

 

A Qassam was launched at the area of Kibbutz Zikim south of Ashkelon Wednesday night, but caused no injuries or damage as well.

 

Fighting in Gaza

IDF forces killed a Hamas gunman Thursday morning and wounded seven more during an operation in southern Gaza Strip. The army reported that soldiers encountered a number of armed militants and opened fire at them from the ground and air.

 

The Palestinians reported of one fatality and several injured.

 

Wednesday night, a senior member of the Popular Resistance Committees was wounded in an IDF airstrike against the vehicle he was riding in Gaza City.

 


פרסום ראשון: 01.03.08, 08:40
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