Israel Matzav

'Palestinians' fire 50 mortars into Israel

'Palestinians' in Gaza fired 50 mortars into southern Israel on Saturday morning. Two Israelis were hurt. One mortar landed next to a Kindergarten, which was closed because it is Saturday. According to Israel Radio, Hamas has taken responsibility for about half the mortar fire, the first time it has done so since Operation Cast Lead in January 2009.

The IDF responded to the barrage of mortars with tank shells and helicopter attacks. Six Palestinians were reportedly injured in the strikes.

Following the attacks, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman instructed diplomats in New York to lodge a complaint with the United Nations over the mortar barrage.

One building sustained extensive damage in the Eshkol Regional Council although a majority of the projectiles landed in open areas, local officials reported.

The regional council is inhabited predominantly by farmers, and has been the target of Palestinian shelling for several years.

Eyal Brandeis, a kibbutz secretary in the Eshkol Regional Council, and the head of a local emergency response team, told The Jerusalem Post that the injured were a married couple who had been attempting to seek cover in a safe zone - a room reinforced with concrete to protect from projectiles.

"It happened just as they entered the room. The couple were responding to instructions we sent out on cell phone text messages calling on all residents to seek shelter. They ran to the room, and shrapnel went through the window just before they could close it," Brandeis said.

The man suffered shrapnel injuries to his back, while the woman was injured in her hand, Brandeis added. The couple received medical attention on the spot before being evacuated by Magen David Adom paramedics to the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheva for further treatment.

What a way to spend your honeymoon....

How long do you think that the US (under any President other than Obama) would put up with being shelled from Mexico?

Complained to the UN? Why bother?

Labels: Hamas, mortar shells, Negev

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:20 PM