Qassams cause panic in Sderot
Six rockets land in southern town, one falling close to house of Defense Minister Peretz, near hunger-strikers encampment; one person wounded in eye by shrapnel, three suffer from shock. One rocket causes fire at forest near town; 120 rockets fired at Israel since Friday
Six Qassam rockets were fired Thursday at the southern town of Sderot. One of the rockets landed near the house of Defense Minister Amir Peretz, falling close to the tent of hunger-strikers encamped outside.
Fire broke out in a forest near Sderot after a Qassam landed at the place, and firefighters were called to the place to extinguish the fire.
One of the rockets landed in a factory in Sderot's industrial zone, and one employee sustained a very light injury to his eye from shrapnel. Three more people suffered from shock and were treated by MDA paramedics.
A Qassam that fell near the plant hit a pole that supports the factory's ceiling, forcing the workers to evacuate the area for fear the ceiling might collapse. Firefighters were dispatched to the place.
Factory's ceiling collapsed (Photo: Amir Cohen)
Head of the firefighters in town, David Shitrit, said that a much greater catastrophe was prevented in the factory, which manufactures wooden platforms. "The cement ceiling blocked the Qassam, but collapsed with it. Had this been a regular ceiling, a much greater disaster could have taken place, as the place is filled with wood platforms. A big fire could have erupted," he said.
The town's swimming poll opened its gates for the first time Thursday, and residents said they saw one of the rockets fly over the pool. A number of children were at the place at the time of the strike.
Two strikers faint
National Union Knesset members were staying at the protesters' tent at the time of the attack. The strikers' leader, Alon Davidi, has just started a press conference, and was telling reporters that the defense minister has asked him on Wednesday to stop the strike.
While Davidi was speaking, a loud explosion was heard and panic broke out in the tent. "Two of the strikers fainted and were treated on the spot. The police asked us to take cover. This is all happening in the midst of our hunger strike to prevent the Qassam fire," one of the demonstrators, Michael, recounted.
Protest sign near Peret'z house (Photo: Amir Cohen)
Davidi himself said that he plans to carry on with the hunger strike, and called on the president to meet with the strikers immediately and personally intervene in a bid to solve the problem.
The National Union Party reported that one of its MKs, Arieh Eldad, a physician by profession, attended to two of the hunger-strikers who collapsed as a result of the blast. Town residents told Ynet that no alarm went off Thursday morning to alert ahead of the rockets' landing.
School strike continues
The strike at the Shaar Hanegev elementary school went into its fifth day Thursday, and the children meanwhile attend alternative activities.
The al-Aqsa Brigades claimed responsibility Thursday for the Qassams fired at Nahal Oz. the Red Dawn alerts system was previously set off in the area, but the rockets' landing site was not located until now.
No organization has yet to claim responsibility for attack on Sderot this morning, but army sources believe that Hamas' al-Qassam Brigades or the Popular Resistance Committees were behind the shooting.
