Over 40 rockets were fired by Palestinian groups from the northern Gaza Strip towards Israel on Wednesday afternoon. During one of the barrages an Israeli college student was killed after a rocket landed in a parking lot adjacent to the Sapir College campus. Medics alerted to the scene also treated two more Israelis for minor wounds.
The victim, Roni Yechiah, 47, reportedly died shortly after sustaining massive wounds to his chest.
Yechiah, a father of four from the community of Bitcha near Ofakim, underwent a kidney transplant operation in the United States five years ago.
Earlier in the day a rocket hit a poultry factory in an industrial zone and a several hours later a rocket struck just outside a Carlsberg beer facility. Several rockets landed in the city of Ashkelon, with one rocket landing near the Barzilai hospital's helicopter pad. One man was wounded from a rocket that landed in a residential street in the city.
Hamas has claimed responsibility for Wednesday's rocket barrages.
MK David Tal (Kadima )said in response to the deadly attack that Israel must be resolute in its response. "I think we're nearing the limit of the IDF's patience, the army is obligated to defend the citizens of this country. I call on the defense minister and prime minister to strike back, otherwise more Israelis will be killed in the near future," said Tal.
Meanwhile Meretz Chairman MK Yossi Beilin said that the government "can no longer depend on luck, hoping that the Qassams won't kill."
Beilin called on the government to enter serious talks with the Islamist group to discuss a long-term ceasefire
Students: Olmert to blame
Meanwhile the Sapir College Student Union slammed Prime Minister Ehud Olmert forhis inability to stop the Qassam
"We are shocked and pained by the murder of a fellow student who was hit by a Qassam and we point a finger at the prime minister, who is not doing enough to prevent the rockets," said union chairman David Brennan.
"I was sitting in class close to where the rocket hit and heard a loud blast," one of the students recalled, "the entire building shook and I realized that the Qassam landed right beside us. The paramedics tending to the injured prevented us from approaching for fear of another strike."
"We cannot continue studying like this," he said.
Woman evacuated by medics from Sapir (Photo: Amir Cohen)
Danny Shmuel was at the Student's Union office when the rocket hit. "The explosion was extremely loud. When I went outside I saw a student lying on the ground with severe injuries. It was a horrific site," he said.
Olmert, who is is currently visiting Japan on an official diplomatic trip, was briefed by his military advisors of the recent developments. Defense officials who spoke with Olmert said they believed the recent barrages, which Hamas has claimed responsibility for, were in response for the targeting of Hamas gunmen en route to carry out an attack on Tuesday.
"There is a war in the South and it will continue to rage. We regret that once again it has taken a bloody toll, this time a life has been lost," the prime minister said.
Sources within Olmert's entourage in Japan told that the prime minister is being kept abreast of the situation in southern Israel by Defense Minister Ehud Barak .
A senior source within the entourage said that the two were discussing Israel's reaction to the rocket barrages and further said that Olmert views the matter with the utmost severity.
"Israel will know how to respond and get to the terrorists responsible for the murder of innocent Israeli civilians, be they those carrying out the attacks or those directing the attacks," said the source.
Shmulik Hadad, Ali Waked, Moran Zelikovich, Roni Sofer, Amnon Meranda and Attila Somfalvi contributed to this report
First published: 15:09, 02.27.8