As the world focuses on the 250+ terrorist casualties in Gaza in the Israeli offensive, an Israeli is buried – killed in a direct Kassam rocket hit outside his home.
Shortly after Israel began Operation Cast Lead on Gaza over the Sabbath, a rocket attack deep into the Negev caused the death of Netivot resident Babret Vaknin, 55. Vaknin had been inside his house around 1:30 PM when he heard the Color Red siren announce the impending crash of a rocket. “He thought that by leaving the house, he would be safer,” said his brother Armonde, the victim's only immediate relative.
When the rocket crashed down into the next-door house, a neighbor said, “suddenly he was on the floor, in a pool of blood.” A Magen David Adom team that arrived on the scene pronounced him dead.
Babret, known as Babar, was buried in the Netivot cemetery on Sunday morning. Two hours later, another rocket was fired towards the town, though no one was hurt.
Babar was the 29th victim of Palestinian terrorism in Israel this year, and the 5th to die from Gaza-fired rockets. The previous victims were Jimmy Kedoshim of Kfar Aza, Amnon Rosenberg of Kibbutz Nir-Oz, Shuli Katz in Kibbutz Yesha, and Roni Yihye from Moshav Bitcha.