Israeli civilians in the Gaza Belt region were again forced into bomb shelters Tuesday morning to ride out a series of rocket and mortar attacks by Palestinian Authority terrorists in Gaza. Dozens of rockets and mortar shells were fired in the southern region.
Israel Air Force pilots took to the skies and within minutes silenced the mortar launchers closest to Kibbutz Nahal Oz, the community that absorbed the most intense attacks of the morning. Eyewitnesses said two terrorists were killed and one was injured in the first IAF strike, which took place close to the Nahal Oz Crossing.
The second strike was aimed at a target in Sujaya, east of Gaza City. One enemy operative was killed and two were injured in that attack.
The terrorists hit in the Israeli counterstrikes were members of the Izz a-Din al-Kassam Brigades, the military operations wing of the Hamas terrorist organization that controls Gaza.
IAF forces reported hitting the mortar launchers that were the apparent source of a barrage of at least 18 shells fired at the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council area close to midday, an attack quickly followed by another barrage fired at the same area.
The deadly mortar shells reportedly exploded in open spaces around Kibbuz Nahal Oz, which is located near the crossing through which fuel supplies are pumped into Gaza on a weekly basis.
Two Kassam rockets were launched by PA terrorists in northern Gaza late Tuesday morning, as well. One exploded in the Sdot HaNegev Regional Council area, and the other landed in an open area south of the coastal city of Ashkelon. Three mortar shells were fired at the Gaza security barrier south of the Sufa Crossing and one mortar shell was fired at the Erez Crossing.
Miraculously, no one was injured in any of the attacks on Tuesday morning.
Gaza Belt Residents to Demonstrate in Jerusalem
Hundreds of residents of the battered Gaza Belt communities said they plan to demonstrate across from the Prime Minister's Office on Wednesday, as the security cabinet meets to decide how to deal with the constant attacks.
Alon Shuster, head of the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council told reporters when he made the announcement, "I demand from the government a clear-cut decision – either a military operation or an immediate agreement. The current state of indecision is unbearable!"
Summer Camps for Southern Kids
The Jewish Agency, the United Jewish Communities of North America and the Detroit Jewish community have announced they will organize summer camps for children and youth from Sderot and the Gaza Belt areas.
The summer camps and activities will take place out of range of the Kassam rockets and mortar shells, at an estimated cost of some NIS 5 million.