Since Friday over 100 rockets fired by terrorists from Gaza into Israel
8 Israelis hurt have been injured, one seriously. The attacks come after IAF kills terror group chief responsible for the deaths of many Israel's.
Palestinian terrorists have fired at least 100 rockets from Gaza City and the Gaza Strip into the south of Israel since Friday night, indiscriminately and deliberately targeting civilian centers of population. The latest count of wounded is 8. This is the most severe bombardment launched by the terrorists on Israel in the last 8 months.
The attack was in retaliation for a surgical strike made by the Israeli Air Force that killed the leader of the Gaza based Popular Resistance Committees Zuhair Qaisi and another senior terrorist Ahmad Hanini.
The IDF spokesperson said that the strike was made to prevent the implementation of a large scale terror attack being planned by the two men that was due to be launched against Israeli targets in the coming weeks.
In the south of Israel, all planned celebration's for the Festival of Purim were cancelled and people have been told to stay at home and within easy reach of bomb shelters and fortified rooms.
How ironic, that on a festival that celebrated the saving of the Jews from extermination by an evil Persian ruler, we are once again threatened by his descendants and their minions.
The anti missile defense system, Iron Dome, succeeded in intercepting 25 missiles out of 27 which were targeted at the major cities of Beersheba and Ashdod. One missile did hit Beersheba causing damage to a residential block. Fortunately, as people had managed to take shelter, there were no injuries.
The IAF struck back on Friday night and Saturday morning. The planes targeted terrorist targets in Gaza and 10 terrorists belonging to the Moslem Jihad were killed and about another 20 injured.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Saturday whilst evaluating the situation and Israel's response: "This round in the Gaza Strip is still far from over," and added that he expects operations would probably continue for another day or two. Barak praised the military for what he called precise, complicated strikes against Popular Resistance Committee (PRC)
Barak added that the IDF will remain on high alert for a possible retaliatory terror attack coming from Sinai. When talking to the of local authorities in the South, the Minister of Defense said, "The IDF will hit anyone planning to attack Israeli citizens. We will also continue improving the Iron Dome anti missile system, which has proven itself extremely capable of hitting the terrorist's medium range Grad missile."
As of this bulletin, the situation in the South is far from calming down. Schools across the South will remain closed until further notice and the Homeland Security and Civil Defense forces have told people not to gather in large groups and have also advised to cancel wedding and other large celebrations planned for the next two days. All public places, shopping malls, restaurants have also been advised to stay closed. Essential services such as medical clinics will remain open but running with a reduced staff. In hospitals, all non-essential outpatient treatments have been cancelled and all patients and wards have been readied for immediate transfer to fortified areas.
Local Authorities have also been opening emergency warehouses to ensure that emergency supplies, should they become necessary, will be available. Hospitals, the Ambulance Service and the Fire Service have been put on high alert with all leave cancelled in order to ensure that maximum manpower will be available to deal with any incident. One senior official said that "Our biggest worry - if two or three grad missiles get through the Iron Dome and hit a high rise building or a fuel storage facility. Casualties could be tremendous and I just don't know if we have the manpower to cope."
As usual, despite the fact that these murderers were planning a series of attacks on Israel with the intention of killing defenseless and innocent civilians, Israel has been condemned around the world for taking action to defined its people.
What so many of these people do not realize, is the simple fact that these terrorists are not just against Israel. They will strike at whoever, in their opinion, dares come out and criticize them and their leaders. What the free world fails to realize, is that these terrorists are just the testing the ground and looking for ways to strike at Europe, the United States - wherever there are people who do not "to the line". For them, the end justifies the means - even if thousands have to die as on 9/11.
Never before has it been so apparent that Israel is bearing the burden. Never before has it been so obvious that Europe, The United States, the entire Western World could be next on the terrorists "hit list". Never before has it been so important for Israel and her supporters to stand together and work together to prevent the unthinkable.
