Arcadi Gaydamak
Photo: Eli Elgarat
Batia Katar
Photo: Amir Cohen
Woman injured in Tuesday's attack
Photo: Amir Cohen
House damaged by rocket in Sderot
Photo: Amir Cohen
Business mogul Arcadi Gaydamak came to the rescue of hundreds of terrified Sderot residents on Wednesday, after nearly 30 Qassam rockets landed in the town in 24 hours.
Appeal
Yael Branovsky
Residents of the city appeal to Gaydamak to help them evacuate. Chairwoman of Sderot PTA: we have no choice
Gaydamak received a letter on behalf of Sderot’s residents on Tuesday, requesting that they be evacuated from the town.
The billionaire responded to the letter by sending eight buses to the town, in order to take residents out of harm’s way to hotels in Beer Sheva and Ashdod; he also pledged to aide in the fortification of homes in the town.
Batia Katar, head of Sderot's local parent committee, told Ynet that residents continued to sign up for a space in the buses in order to be evacuated as soon as possible. Families with children are the first to be evacuated.
“Everyone says they are grateful to Gaydamak, but that the State of Israel should have done this,” Katar said, “People want to overthrow the government because of the disgrace they are experiencing.”
Gaydamak said he felt an obligation to help upon receiving the letter. He also explained his intention to fortify homes in Sderot.
“We are negotiating with a big construction company, which already offered the government to carry out a project for fortifying homes in Sderot several months ago, but it was not carried out,” he said.
“I don’t work in the government, and I don’t know what they’re supposed to do or not. I just know that I am obligated to act on behalf of Jews, and I am,” he said.
In addition, the Bnei Akiva organization sent minibuses to the town, to pick up about 250 new immigrants from Ethiopia for a day of rest and fun at a kibbutz in the Jerusalem area.