Nati Engel, 60, the custodian of the Shaar HaNegev school who was wounded by one of yesterday's rockets, is still listed in serious but stable condition. He was operated on in Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon. Several others were treated for shock, and one man was lightly hurt by shrapnel that hit his face.
"Imagine that New York would be attacked by rockets several times," Sderot Mayor Eli Moyal said this morning. "It's obvious that within minutes, the source of the fire would be eradicated. That is how any country with dignity reacts to such a threat on its citizens. Only here, it appears, are we more concerned with the rights of others, and are willing to tolerate 2-3 deaths of our own citizens, as long as we do not hurt the Arabs in Gaza..."
IDF sources counting the rockets say that the 1,000th rocket to be fired at Israel over the past years landed yesterday. This number does not include the more than 5,000 rockets and shells that the now-defunct Gush Katif suffered during this period. Security sources say the supply of rockets in Gaza is far from deleted, and that more are constantly being manufactured.
Joining the chorus of those demanding a strong military response was former IDF officer Amram Mitzna, a one-time Labor Party national prime ministerial candidate, and Labor MK Matan Vilnai, a former IDF Deputy Chief of Staff.
Mitzna, who strongly supported Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, said, "Blast them, give it to them... We've left Gaza already, and the government of Israel does not have the right not to respond to the bombardment of Israeli communities in the State of Israel."
Though an open-ended school strike was declared in Sderot yesterday, it appears that many schools are open today. Many children did not arrive, however, possibly because of previous announcements this morning saying that schools were closed.
"I'm afraid of the Red Dawn, Mommy," a child could be heard saying in the background of a phone conversation as he was being put to sleep. Residents throughout the town say that this reflects the situation in their own homes as well. "We have no idea what the long-term results of these fears will be," one concerned mother told Army Radio yesterday.
Dozens of residents protested last night outside the home of Defense Minister Amir Peretz, a well-liked Sderot resident, demanding a military solution to the problem. Several residents, including one man named Alon Davidi, have also begun a hunger strike there, demanding that the army respond with an all-out strike against the towns in Gaza from where the rockets are fired. "We had hoped that today would be different," Davidi said this morning, "but it has already begun the same way, with four rockets this morning." The Red Dawn warning system sounded as he was speaking, but the rocket landed without incident.
In an open letter, the hunger strikers wrote, "We are not striking to receive money, but rather to protect our rights and for the sake of the sanctity of life. We call on everyone to join us. Today it is us, and we hope that tomorrow it won't be you."
Education Minister Yuli Tamir toured Sderot schools this morning. "I can't stop the Kassam rockets," she said, "but I can promise that every student will receive the necessary help from the educational system." She also said that she opposes a sharp military response. "These escalations never lead to calm," she said. Similar claims have been countered in the past with the example of Operation Defensive Shield, a massive IDF military operation in the Shomron in 2002 that led to a steady drop in terrorist attacks and deaths.
Another protest this morning was held, for the first time, at the nearby Kibbutz Shaar HaNegev junction. Their beef is the same as that of those who live in Sderot. They demand security, saying they have no place to run when the Red Dawn warning sounds, as their houses are "made of cardboard."
"Imagine that New York would be attacked by rockets several times," Sderot Mayor Eli Moyal said this morning. "It's obvious that within minutes, the source of the fire would be eradicated. That is how any country with dignity reacts to such a threat on its citizens. Only here, it appears, are we more concerned with the rights of others, and are willing to tolerate 2-3 deaths of our own citizens, as long as we do not hurt the Arabs in Gaza..."
IDF sources counting the rockets say that the 1,000th rocket to be fired at Israel over the past years landed yesterday. This number does not include the more than 5,000 rockets and shells that the now-defunct Gush Katif suffered during this period. Security sources say the supply of rockets in Gaza is far from deleted, and that more are constantly being manufactured.
Joining the chorus of those demanding a strong military response was former IDF officer Amram Mitzna, a one-time Labor Party national prime ministerial candidate, and Labor MK Matan Vilnai, a former IDF Deputy Chief of Staff.
Mitzna, who strongly supported Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, said, "Blast them, give it to them... We've left Gaza already, and the government of Israel does not have the right not to respond to the bombardment of Israeli communities in the State of Israel."
Though an open-ended school strike was declared in Sderot yesterday, it appears that many schools are open today. Many children did not arrive, however, possibly because of previous announcements this morning saying that schools were closed.
"I'm afraid of the Red Dawn, Mommy," a child could be heard saying in the background of a phone conversation as he was being put to sleep. Residents throughout the town say that this reflects the situation in their own homes as well. "We have no idea what the long-term results of these fears will be," one concerned mother told Army Radio yesterday.
Dozens of residents protested last night outside the home of Defense Minister Amir Peretz, a well-liked Sderot resident, demanding a military solution to the problem. Several residents, including one man named Alon Davidi, have also begun a hunger strike there, demanding that the army respond with an all-out strike against the towns in Gaza from where the rockets are fired. "We had hoped that today would be different," Davidi said this morning, "but it has already begun the same way, with four rockets this morning." The Red Dawn warning system sounded as he was speaking, but the rocket landed without incident.
In an open letter, the hunger strikers wrote, "We are not striking to receive money, but rather to protect our rights and for the sake of the sanctity of life. We call on everyone to join us. Today it is us, and we hope that tomorrow it won't be you."
Education Minister Yuli Tamir toured Sderot schools this morning. "I can't stop the Kassam rockets," she said, "but I can promise that every student will receive the necessary help from the educational system." She also said that she opposes a sharp military response. "These escalations never lead to calm," she said. Similar claims have been countered in the past with the example of Operation Defensive Shield, a massive IDF military operation in the Shomron in 2002 that led to a steady drop in terrorist attacks and deaths.
Another protest this morning was held, for the first time, at the nearby Kibbutz Shaar HaNegev junction. Their beef is the same as that of those who live in Sderot. They demand security, saying they have no place to run when the Red Dawn warning sounds, as their houses are "made of cardboard."