9 Qassams fired towards Negev
Citizens lament lack of response from IDF to rocket fire that interrupted evening prayer in Sderot. 'There was a time when we would have done something, but not today,' says Nahal Oz resident
The IDF stated that nine Qassam rockets were fired towards Israel from Gaza Friday evening, some of which fell in Palestinian territory.
Two rockets landed in the Negev, one of which fell in open spaces near Sderot. The other landed in open spaces in Shaar HaNegev Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported.
The Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) claimed responsibility for the fire, which interrupted evening prayer in Sderot.
Gidi Sabag, of Kibbutz Nahal Oz, told Ynet he had heard many explosions during the evening.
"We are trying to lead lives of normalcy, but a number of people are trying to leave because of the security situation. I expect the army to do something. They're firing and we're not responding. There was a time when we would have done something, but not today," he lamented.
Residents of the Gaza vicinity are desperately awaiting the fortification of their houses. "We hope that on Sunday the Finance Ministry won't crack wise," said Alon Shuster, head of Shaar HaNegev Regional Council. "I call on the government to stand up to finance officials trying to bargain with the fortification budget to the very last."
At around 6 pm the Color Red alert was sounded in Sderot and the neighboring towns, and a rocket was fired while many of the residents were attending evening prayers at their local synagogues. The second rocket was fired at 8:30 pm. Later the IDF stated it had identified altogether nine rockets launched.
Earlier, at 4 pm, a mortar shell was fired from Gaza and landed in open spaces near Ashkelon. No injuries or damage were reported.
The rocket fire on Friday began around 1 pm, when a Qassam rocket landed in open spaces near a kibbutz in Shaar HaNegev Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported in this case, either.
On Thursday another rocket landed in Sderot and a loud explosion could be heard in the area. In the morning a mortar shell landed in open spaces in the Negev. In both cases no injuries or damage were reported.
Ali Waked contributed to this report
