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Comments:  30
Last update - 23:11 01/01/2009
Barrage of Gaza rockets strikes Ashkelon, Be'er Sheva, Ashdod
By Haaretz Service
Tags: israel, gaza, hamas 

Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired a barrage of more than 50 rockets at southern Israel on Thursday, one of which scored a direct hit on an eight-floor residential building in the northern Negev city of Ashdod, nearly 40 kilometers from the Hamas-ruled coastal territory.



The strike on the Ashdod apartment house caused a fire to erupt in the building and seriously damaged the top floor. Rescue workers evacuated all residents, fearing that the building would collapse. The incident ended without physical injuries and the damaged structure still intact.
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A number of people were treated for shock, however, many of them children and elderly people.

The Israel Defense Forces announced just after the strike that an Israeli aircraft had bombed the Gaza-based squad responsible for firing the rocket.

Four Grad rockets exploded a few minutes after the Ashdod strike in the city of Ashkelon and about two more struck the city a few hours later. No casualties were reported in any of those incidents.

Three rockets struck the western Negev town of Sderot early Thursday afternoon. There were no reports of casualties in those strikes.

Another barrage was fired at Ashdod and Ashkelon in the middle of the afternoon, and another eight rockets exploded in near Be'er Sheva toward evening.

Six Qassam rockets exploded in the Eshkol region over the course of the morning, and two Grad rockets hit the city of Be'er Sheva. There were no casualties reported in any of the incidents, but some area buildings sustained damage.

Three rockets hit Be'er Sheva late Wednesday, just hours after Defense Minister Ehud Barak issued a statement extending the 'special situation' status on the home front to all communities within 40 kilometers of the Gaza border.

Be'er Sheva and Yavne, previously thought to be beyond the range of Palestinian rockets, are now among the cities included in the order.

A barrage of more than 70 Katyusha and Qassam rockets hit the western Negev on Wednesday, with several rockets exploding in Ashkelon and Be'er Sheva.

The defense minister reiterated his appeal to all residents "to strictly follow Home Front Command instructions."

Barak's order allows the Defense Ministry, through the Home Front Command, to issue binding regulations for the civilian population in the specified area. The decision is valid for 48 hours, and must then be ratified by the government.

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      1.   Unless Hamas commit to ceasing all attacks on Israel and ... 14:34  |  Jehudah Ben-Israel 01/01/09
      2.   Israel lost 15:33  |  Observer 01/01/09
      3.   give them 1 day notice then flatten Gaza City 15:39  |  Avi 01/01/09
      4.   Not that simple 16:00  |  dave duncan 01/01/09
      5.   The Pals have already won. 16:17  |  Keith T. 01/01/09
      6.   Keith T. 16:41  |  ChanahS 01/01/09
      7.   #2 Observer - You should observe more closely 16:58  |  *BEN JABO 01/01/09
      8.   How much experience does it take to fire a Grad? 17:02  |  Proud Israeli 01/01/09
      9.   According to Observer, all Palestinians are Hamas fighters 17:36  |  Hannah 01/01/09
      10.   A very, very strong suggest, especially for Arab readers and... 18:07  |  Jehudah Ben-Israel 01/01/09
      11.   #9 18:11  |  j 01/01/09
      12.   If the stated objective is to stop the rockets.. 18:21  |  Joe L. 01/01/09
      13.   Gaza is small flat place. Why aren`t Hamas rockets destroyed yet? 18:42  |  Wondering 01/01/09
      14.   Chanah S # 6 18:57  |  Philippe 01/01/09
      15.   J # 11 19:04  |  Philippe 01/01/09
      16.   Always enjoy reading spin doctors 19:15  |  Gilles 01/01/09
      17.   Disengament fueled Terrorism and since doing so 19:26  |  Avi 01/01/09
      18.   Question of Jehudah Ben Israel # 1 19:40  |  Clickfool 01/01/09
      19.   For the true nature of criticism of Israel, visit YouTube 20:06  |  Clickfool 01/01/09
      20.   #10 Yehuda Ben-Israel 20:07  |  alan, original one 01/01/09
      21.   clickfool 20:17  |  Samk 01/01/09
      22.   Hamas should be distroyed 20:32  |  Joseph 01/01/09
      23.   Would someone please inform 02:17  |  Mark Lincoln 02/01/09
      24.   Stopping Rocket Attacks 03:28  |  Michael J 02/01/09
      25.   clickfool: There is NO starvation, UNRWA`s stocks are full! 03:53  |  Arthur 02/01/09
      26.   mark lincoln 03:56  |  Connie 02/01/09
      27.   #2 observer: Your observation is wrong.-And you will see it soon! 04:56  |  Vittorio 02/01/09
      28.   #23 Lincoln - Please verify it by 05:24  |  *BEN JABO 02/01/09
      29.   #19 Clickfool - I guess you posted a lot yourself 05:54  |  * BEN JABO 02/01/09
      30.   Response to clickfool 05:55  |  flyingdoc57 04/01/09
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