Qassam landing in Negev last week
Photo: Tsafrir Abayov
Truce violated once again as Qassam hits Negev
Rocket fired from Gaza lands near Negev kibbutz; no injuries, damage reported. 'Repeated ceasefire breaches prove Hamas incapable of maintaining order,' Negev council head says
A Qassam fired from northern Gaza Monday evening landed in an open field within Shaar Hanegev Regional Council limits in yet another violation of the ceasefire between Israel and the armed Palestinian groups in the Strip. No injuries or damage were reported in the attack.
Hamas has called on the Palestinian groups to uphold the truce and ordered its security forces to detain those who breach it.
The rocket landed in close proximity to Kibbutz Miflasim as dozens of teenagers were celebrating the beginning of summer vacation at the kibbutz's pool. The Color Red system warning of incoming rockets was activated prior to the Qassam's landing.
"I don't want to imagine what might have happened had the rocket landed by the pool," said Alon Schuster, head of the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council.
Schuster added that compared to previous years, in 2008 the government and the Jewish Agency reduced their financial support for summer camps held for children from Gaza-vicinity communities in areas beyond the range of the rocket fire, "apparently because of the calm".
According to him, the repeated truce violations "prove that Hamas is incapable of maintaining order and preventing the Qassam attacks".
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said of the ceasefire violations "we agreed to a ceasefire while refraining from launching an extensive military operation (in Gaza). If they breach the truce, we must immediately retaliate, regardless of who is behind the firing."
