Gaza Rockets Pound Israeli Neighborhoods

At least 14 Palestinian rockets slammed into Israel throughout Sunday, January 11, hitting residential and civilian-populated areas. A Grad-type rocket hit an Ashdod kindergarten, causing heavy damage. The building was empty at the time of the attack, but three people nearby were treated for shock.

Two Palestinian rockets struck Sderot on Sunday afternoon, with one rocket hitting outside a Sderot school in the city. Several people went into shock, and damage was done to property. Another rocket exploded several meters outside the home of Sderot’s recently elected mayor, David Buskila.

Kiryat Malachi, Ashkelon, and the Eshkol region also experienced Palestinian rocket attacks.

The Home Front Command decided to allow southern Israeli schools with bomb shelters to reopen on Sunday morning. However, a Grad rockets slammed into a car in Be’er Sheva, wounding two people and sending several into shock just as schools were reopening.

Two Palestinian rockets struck Ashkelon in a residential neighborhood forcing the Ashkelon Municipality to keep their schools closed for yet another day.

Sderot reopened for a full school day on Sunday, while Netivot and Eshkol began the week with a shortened school day. In addition to catching up on lost class time, children also practiced evacuation drills in their classrooms.

On Saturday, January 10, over 21 Palestinian rockets hit Israel, wounding over 14 Israelis, including two seven-year old twins in Ashkelon. An Ashkelon man was also wounded when a rocket struck his apartment, and another Ashkelon resident was injured when a Palestinian rocket struck his backyard.

Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon treated 27 Israelis for psychological trauma on Saturday, along with the 14 wounded Israelis.

On Saturday, the IDF allowed humanitarian aid to enter Gaza for a three hour period. As soon as the three hour-period concluded and the IDF resumed battling Hamas targets, Hamas fired two Grad rockets at Ashdod, with one exploding in Gan Yavneh in an open area.

Since Operation Cast Lead began, over 500 Palestinian rockets have hit Israeli territory. The longest distance Grad reached Gedara, located 40 km (25 miles) away from Gaza.

Four Israeli civilians have been killed and over 223 Israelis have been wounded since the operation began. According to the IDF, there has been a steady decrease in the number of rockets fired at Israel.

*Jeusalem Post, Ha’aretz, MFA and Israel’s Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center contributed to this report.