Israeli Killed by Rocket; Fire Moves Further North
An Israeli man was killed by a rocket on Saturday night, as the terrorists broadened their scope of fire and added more Israelis cities to their list of targets.
Moshe Agadi, 58 and a father of four, was killed in the city of Ashkelon when a rocket directly hit the house he was in. He did not have a chance to make it to the shelter.
Gaza based terrorists from the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terror groups continued to fire rockets at Israeli cities and towns throughout the night and into Sunday morning, launching over 430 rockets and adding the cities of Be’er Sheva and Ashdod to their lists of targets and pushing their fire further north, while threatening to push their fire even further.
Nine Israelis are being treated for their wounds in hospitals, including an 80-year-old woman who was severely injured by a rocket in the city of Kiryat Gat.
The Iron Dome defense systems intercepted some 100 projectiles, about 90 percent of the rockets targeted populated areas, but several Israelis were injured and some residential buildings sustained direct hits. Some 70 percent of the rockets exploded in open spaces.
The Israeli Air Force (IAF), Israeli navy and IDF have carried over 200 strikes against Hamas and Islamic Jihad terror targets in the Strip, including against headquarters and terror cells firing rockets. More recently, the IAF has begun to strike private property belonging to terror commanders.
One of the structures hit by the IAF was an office building used for Hamas’ headquarters that is responsible for planning terrorist attacks in Judea and Samaria.
The targets included seven buildings housing Hamas’ security apparatus, 21 bases, 17 military posts, three weapons manufacturing workshops and three communications bodies. Some 12 terrorists were killed in the strikes.
Schools throughout the south were closed Sunday, leaving 210,000 students at home. Workplaces opened only if they have access to a bomb shelter.
“While Islamic Jihad and Hamas in Gaza shamelessly target Israeli civilians with rockets, Israelis all across the south are showing resilience and courage during these challenging times,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry stated.
There are currently no negotiations for a ceasefire, with reports that Hamas is now rejecting Egypt as a mediator.
Despite that heavy rocket fire, Israel Sunday morning transferred fuel and other humanitarian aid into the Strip.
