Sdeort residents protest
Photo: Gil Yochanan
Qassam hits new area; residents 'unprepared’
Rocket lands in previously unaffected region; bomb shelters in area said to be 'in bad shape'
Sunday evening a Qassam rocket fired from the Gaza Strip landed in an open field within the Merhavim Regional Council. No injuries or property damage were reported,.However, teams dispatched to pinpoint the landing site said that this was the first time the area was hit by rockets.
The direct landing site for the rocket has still not been ascertained, and security personnel will try to determine exactly where the rocket landed during daylight hours Monday.
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Residents of a nearby community reported hearing a louder than usual explosion as the rocket landed. One of the residents, Ovadia Morad, reported hearing rumors of an “improved longer range Qassam,” but these have not been confirmed by security officials.
“We are pretty used to hearing blasts and explosions coming from the Sderot area,” said Morad,”and we can even hear the numerous Color Red alerts. We usually don’t get overly excited about explosions.”
'Bomb shelters very old'
Natan Kirschner, Chairman of the community's executive committee, told Ynet that “the residents did hear a louder than usual explosion, and if turns out that this time the Qassam landed close to the Moshav; we’ll have to see what action we need to take.”He also noted that “the moshav as of now is not adequately prepared. The newer homes have secured rooms, but the older ones do not, and their bomb shelters are very old and in bad shape.”
Earlier Sunday five Qassam rockets were fired from Gaza towards the western Negev. No injuries or property damage were reported.
