Terrorists in Gaza fired several rockets at the western Negev city of Sderot over the Sabbath.
On Friday, one of seven rockets fired hit a home in Sderot, lightly wounding a teenage boy and sending his six-month-pregnant mother into shock. The boy was brought to Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon for treatment. Barzilai itself is now within range of the missile threat – a Grad-type Katyusha missile landed north of the city Thursday.
Eight more rockets were fired Saturday night. One of the rockets landed in Sderot, destroying a car and causing several people to go into shock, including a young girl and elderly woman.
A barrage of mortar shells was fired Friday toward the Jewish community of Netiv HaAsara, adjacent to the former northern Gaza Jewish communities. Of eight shells fired, two landed inside the community, but failed to inflict damage or injury. The remaining shells fell short, landing inside Gaza.
Two Gaza terrorists were killed in air strikes by the Israeli Air Force following the Saturday night barrage of rockets. A Hamas terrorist was killed in a strike in Beit Hanoun, in northern Gaza, and a Popular Resistance Committee terrorist was killed in a strike in central Gaza.
On Friday, two Hamas terrorists were killed in a shootout with IDF troops. Nine more died Thursday in various counter-terror operations.
It was released for publication that the Grad-type Katyusha rocket that was fired from Gaza to north of the city of Ashkelon was supplied by Iran.
Likud MK Moves to Sderot
MK Michael Eitan (Likud) spent his first Shabbat in Sderot this weekend after moving to the city last Wednesday. Eitan explained that he decided to move to Sderot “in order to give real meaning to the phrase ‘The nation is with Sderot.’” Eitan will remain in Jerusalem during the week in order to remain near the Knesset, but has committed to living in his new apartment in Sderot during the weekends.
Eitan said residents of the city had greeted him warmly, and that his new neighbors had brought him a traditional Sabbath meal of hot cholent [a traditional slow-cooked stew –ed.]. He said he would not run to a shelter in case of a rocket attack, explaining that his building has no shelter, and that he believes that statistically speaking, it would not be worth the effort to run for shelter even if he had one.
More Ambulances, More Psychologists
The government is expected to approve a measure granting 23 million shekels to Sderot and surrounding towns on Sunday. The proposed funding would be used to give the city two additional ambulances, more psychologists in the local mental health center, and a 24-hour medical emergency center.
Some of the funding would go directly to Sderot, while millions of shekels would be granted to the region as a whole. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is expected to suggest further benefits for residents of the region surrounding Gaza, in order to create economic opportunities and encourage life in the area.