A Palestinian-launched mortar shell slammed into a house in a Gush Katif community in Israel’s southern Mediterranean costal area last night, causing severe damage. Three children were treated for shock-like symptoms.
Oshrit Greenberg of N'vei Dekalim recounted for Arutz-7 today what happened when the mortar shell exploded in her home last night:
"It was 11:20 PM, and we heard a tremendous boom, and the whole house shook. Two seconds later, all the electricity went out, and there was total darkness. I right away went to check on the kids, and brought them into our 'safe room.' In the meantime, I heard water pouring in from the air conditioning vents. My cordless phone was out of commission because there was no electricity; my other phone and the cell phone were in the room where the shell fell, and I was scared to go in. I didn't even know who to call for help. Luckily a neighbor was around and saw it, and called for help... The children understand what happened, as this is not the first time that shells have fallen here…"
N’vei Dekalim resident Rachel Saperstein told Arutz-7's Tamar Yonah today that over 1,500 mortars have been fired at Gush Katif since the start of the Oslo War, yet the number of serious injuries shows that "G-d is truly watching over Gush Katif." On Nov. 24, 2001, reserve soldier Barak Madmon was killed outside Kfar Darom when a mortar shell hit his IDF outpost; seven months earlier, the baby Ariel Yered of Atzmona was seriously wounded by a mortar shell, and has been successfully undergoing treatment in Jerusalem since then. No one else was seriously hurt by a mortar, and Ms. Saperstein said that last night’s incident is "another one of the miracles that occur in Gush Katif on a daily basis."
Defense Minister Binyamin-Ben Eliezer saw the attack as sufficiently grave to lead him to postpone a scheduled meeting with the PA's Abdel Razek Yichye. The two were to discuss the status of the “Gaza and Bethlehem First” arrangement.
Earlier this morning, N’vei Dekalim was on the receiving end of yet another mortar shell attack, causing light damage and no injuries. In addition, soldiers and Arab gunmen exchanged fire in the early afternoon, and one of the latter who approached the Jewish coastal community of Tel Katifa was killed by IDF gunfire. Israeli forces withdrew last night from three positions in Gaza, which were quickly taken over by PA fighters.
Oshrit Greenberg of N'vei Dekalim recounted for Arutz-7 today what happened when the mortar shell exploded in her home last night:
"It was 11:20 PM, and we heard a tremendous boom, and the whole house shook. Two seconds later, all the electricity went out, and there was total darkness. I right away went to check on the kids, and brought them into our 'safe room.' In the meantime, I heard water pouring in from the air conditioning vents. My cordless phone was out of commission because there was no electricity; my other phone and the cell phone were in the room where the shell fell, and I was scared to go in. I didn't even know who to call for help. Luckily a neighbor was around and saw it, and called for help... The children understand what happened, as this is not the first time that shells have fallen here…"
N’vei Dekalim resident Rachel Saperstein told Arutz-7's Tamar Yonah today that over 1,500 mortars have been fired at Gush Katif since the start of the Oslo War, yet the number of serious injuries shows that "G-d is truly watching over Gush Katif." On Nov. 24, 2001, reserve soldier Barak Madmon was killed outside Kfar Darom when a mortar shell hit his IDF outpost; seven months earlier, the baby Ariel Yered of Atzmona was seriously wounded by a mortar shell, and has been successfully undergoing treatment in Jerusalem since then. No one else was seriously hurt by a mortar, and Ms. Saperstein said that last night’s incident is "another one of the miracles that occur in Gush Katif on a daily basis."
Defense Minister Binyamin-Ben Eliezer saw the attack as sufficiently grave to lead him to postpone a scheduled meeting with the PA's Abdel Razek Yichye. The two were to discuss the status of the “Gaza and Bethlehem First” arrangement.
Earlier this morning, N’vei Dekalim was on the receiving end of yet another mortar shell attack, causing light damage and no injuries. In addition, soldiers and Arab gunmen exchanged fire in the early afternoon, and one of the latter who approached the Jewish coastal community of Tel Katifa was killed by IDF gunfire. Israeli forces withdrew last night from three positions in Gaza, which were quickly taken over by PA fighters.