Southern Israel Ablaze from Gaza Rockets

Southern Israel is Ablaze as the rocket attacks from Gaza keep coming and the violence escalates. Government ministers are calling for decisive action.

Damaged bedroom in Sderot from rocket fire overnight. (Photo: Edi Israel/Flash90)

Over ten rockets, part of the roughly 40 that have been fired from Gaza in the last two days, were fired at southern Israel in a salvo Thursday afternoon that, causing two fires to break out.

One of the rockets fell right next to a kibbutz in the Sha’ar Hanegev Regional Council area, and another exploded in the Sderot industrial area. Fires broke out in both areas, reports Yedioth Aharonoth.

Just on Saturday, a rocket hit the industrial area of Sderot, making direct contact with the Denber Plastics factory, burning it to the ground.

Within an hour of the rockets, around 14 mortar shells from Gaza exploded in the Eshkol Regional Council area, leaving an IDF soldier with mild wounds after taking shrapnel to the leg.

A short time later another three rockets fell in the Eshkol Regional Council area, and three mortars reportedly hit a town in the area as well.

A rocket directly hit a community in the Sedot Negev Regional Council area, causing damage to several homes but no reported injuries.

Mere hours before the rockets set the fires on Thursday, another rocket landed near the industrial area of Sderot.

The rocket fire led around 100 residents of Sderot to protest at the entrance of the city, also just a short time before the fires broke out on Thursday.

Protesters bore signs reading “destroy the Hamas regime in Gaza,” “let the IDF win,” and “kill first the one who comes to kill you,” a precept of the Jewish sages. They called on the government to launch a wide-ranging military mission in Gaza to cease the constant rocket-fire.

Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon and Finance Minister Yair Lapid also visited Sderot on Thursday, shortly after a Kassam rocket fired by terrorists in Gaza hit a summer day camp moments before children were set to arrive.

Lapid commented that “no sane country” would tolerate such a situation, while Danon called on the government to “do whatever it takes to destroy the Hamas  organization.”

(This article was published on Israel National News.)