2 suffer shock following rocket barrage
Air raid sirens sound throughout southern Israel on Saturday as 10 rockets fired from Gaza Strip. Two people treated for shock after rocket hits empty building near synagogue in Netivot area
The rest of the rockets exploded in open areas without causing injuries or damage.
Two rockets exploded in open areas near the city Beersheba on Saturday afternoon, and another rocket landed at the same time in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council. The rockets were fired during the "humanitarian pause" in Gaza declared by the Israeli army.
A Qassam rocket landed in an open area in the Sdot Negev Regional Council at around 9 am. There were no injuries. Three additional rockets were fired from Gaza shortly afterwards, one hitting an empty structure in a community between the cities of Netivot and Ofakim.
Another rocket exploded within the Eshkol Regional Council and another landed inside a kibbutz in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council. Three hours later, another rocket landed near Ofakim without causing injuries or damage. Four mortar shells landed in the Eshkol council.
On Saturday morning, the Israel Defense Forces said it would hold its fire between 12 and 3 pm for a "humanitarian pause" in the Gaza Strip in order to allow residents to equip themselves with food and move from place to place. The Kerem Shalom crossing was opened for the transfer of 66 trucks carrying food, medical equipment and fuel to the Gaza power station.
At least 22 rockets were fired at Israel on Friday. One person was moderately injured and another was lightly wounded when a rocket hit a house in Ashdod. Three people were lightly hurt in the town of Kiryat Gat.
An Israel Defense Forces soldier was moderately injured Friday night during a ground forces' activity in the Gaza Strip. He was evacuated to a hospital in Israel for medical treatment.
Qassam rocket (Photo: Ze'ev Trachtman)
The IDF continues to operate in the Gaza Strip in full force, even after the understandings reached between Israel and Egypt and ahead of the cabinet meeting expected to accept the ceasefire draft.
The commanders and soldiers have not been ordered to slow down their activity, and the pressure on Hamas has even increased in the past few days.
Alongside the operational successes, innocent civilians are still getting hurt. A shell fired by a tank in the Jabalya area killed three of Dr. Ezzeldeen Abu al-Aish's children and seriously injured two of his daughters, who were evacuated to the Barzilai and Sheba medical centers in Israel. The doctor's brother and two children were also killed in the strike.
The army is looking into the circumstances of the incident. An initial inquiry revealed that the tank struck an area from which gunmen were firing at IDF forces, but the investigation continues.
