10 Qassams land in southern Israel
Two days before end of truce, Gaza vicinity residents wake up to another reminder of shaky situation with at least seven rockets hitting Eshkol Regional Council. One rocket lands in Ashkelon; no injuries or damage reported
Palestinian gunmen fired 10 Qassam rockets from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel on Wednesday.
Seven rockets landed within the Eshkol Regional Council. There were no reports of injuries or damage. Shortly afterwards, a mortar shell landed within the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council, without causing injuries or damage. Another rocket landed in the same area after noon.
A rocket fired from the northern Gaza Strip in the late morning hours landed in an open area near a factory in Ashkelon's southern industrial zone. Three factory workers were evacuated to the city's Barzilai Medical Center after suffering from ringing in their ears.
Another Qassam landed in an open area within the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council without causing any injuries.
The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which has become particularly shaky in the past few weeks, is slated to expire over the coming weekend.
Eshkol Council head Haim Yalin told Ynet, "Yesterday everyone watched the 'Big Brother' final, but the Qassams landing here are not a reality show. This is most likely the promo waiting for us ahead of the official expiry of the alleged lull."
"We woke up to the sounds of the Color Red alert system and explosions," Ella Fox, a community manager in one of the council's kibbutzim, told Ynet. "We are strong, but this situation is unbearable. Instead of starting our day like any other citizen in the State of Israel, we're forced to start it like this."
"Adults and children can't even wake up to a regular morning, and once again we have to check what's happening with the children who have to go to school. The children in the kindergartens can't even go out to the yard today. This is life not everyone in Israel knows, it's something completely different," Fox said.
She added that when her family members heard the Color Red system they immediately ran into the corridor. "We don’t' have fortification yet. They're working on it."
Wednesday's rockets joined nine Qassam fired into Israel on Tuesday, causing a boy to suffer from shock and damaging a factory in the town of Sderot.
The Israel Air Force struck twice ready-to-launch rocket launchers in the northern Gaza Strip, near the town of Beit Hanoun. The army reported that the targets were hit.
