Qassam barrage hits western Negev

Western Negev suffers barrage of ten Qassams. One lands in Sderot, causing shock to high school students. Another damages kibbutz home

Shmulik Hadad|Published: 05.01.08 , 13:45

At least ten Qassam rockets were fired from Gaza on Thursday afternoon. Seven fell in the area of Sderot, and at least two fell in open spaces near Ashkelon. One of the rockets fell near a high school in Sderot, while another fell in a kibbutz in Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council, damaging a house. The other rockets landed in open spaces in the area of Sderot and Ashkelon, and one has not yet been found but is estimated to have landed near Erez crossing.

Four Sderot residents were treated for shock, including three high school students. Eli Edri, principal of the religious Sderot high school next to which the rocket hit, told Ynet: "Unfortunately this is the daily reality we are faced with. After the firing we try to resume the school routine as quickly as possible, but after every barrage we are forced to evacuate at least one or two students suffering from shock."

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Sderot: Qassams hit during Holocaust ceremony

Shmulik Hadad

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Sderot: Qassams hit during Holocaust ceremony

One of the members of the kibbutz in which the rocket fell said that it landed close to the kibbutz's grocery store, which is located within close proximity of two houses.

"People in the store heard the alarm and took cover. Fortunately no one was injured. The houses near the store were damaged slightly. Our kibbutz is regularly fired at and our houses are unprotected."

On Wednesday evening, a short while after the Holocaust remembrance ceremony had begun, two Qassam rockets landed in open areas surrounding the town of Sderot. No injuries or damage were reported.

Before the ceremony began the participants were instructed on what to do in case the alarm was set off during the proceedings. A total of 15 rockets landed in the Negev on Wednesday.

The IDF on Thursday morning killed Nafez Mansur, a 40-year old Hamas gunman reportedly involved in the abduction of Gilad Shalit and the terror attack on Kerem Shalom.

Three more gunmen were injured in an Air Force strike in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah. Palestinian sources reported that one of the men was seriously injured. A bystander and girl were also injured in the attack. The strike targeted Hamas' Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades' terrorists with the cooperation of the Shin Bet.