Sunday evening: Qassam fire continues, IDF strikes in Gaza

Two Qassams hit Negev; no injuries reported. Israeli forces attack rocket launchers in northern Strip. Mofaz: Israel must reestablish its deterrence

Shmulik Hadad
Published: 12.21.08, 22:22 / Israel News

A Qassam rocket fired from northern Gaza Sunday evening landed near a kibbutz located in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council. There were no reports of injuries, but a number of structures were damaged.

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A short while later IDF forces struck two rocket launchers in northern Gaza. Palestinians reported a massive explosion in Gaza City, and added that a large blaze could be seen.

At around 10 pm another rocket landed within the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council's limits. There were no reports of injuries or damage.

At least 17 Qassams and a number of mortars were launched toward the western Negev region throughout the day. A foreign worker sustained light shrapnel injuries during one of the attacks.

Meanwhile, Ashkelon Mayor Benny Vaknin threatened to shut down the education system in case of a Grad rocket attack on the southern city.

The Grad rocket, as opposed to the Qassam, is capable of reaching Ashkelon.

"If, God forbid, a rocket hits an educational institution it can result in a terrible disaster, and I am not willing to take this risk," he said, "I'll immediately shut down the education system down if such an attack occurs."

Vaknin also complained that the government has yet to allocate the necessary funds for the fortification of Ashkelon's schools. "It cannot be that when a siren sounds in the city 30,000 students have to take cover under their desks," he said.

Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz said during a tour of the Gaza-vicinity communities Sunday that "we cannot allow Hamas to dictate Israel's agenda; in the past we knew how to deal with Hamas and create deterrence."

According to him, between the years 2004-2007 the Islamist group's leaders "knew that the long arm of Israel could reach them."

Ynet has learned that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak have agreed on a series of measures ahead of greater military involvement in Gaza. The decided that Israel would react in a gradual manner to any acts of terror.

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