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Two Israelis wounded by Gaza mortars in western Negev
By Haaertz Service and The Associated Press
Tags: israel, hamas, gaza 

Two Israelis in the western Negev town of Sha'ar Hanegev were wounded by a Palestinian mortar shell fired from the Gaza Strip on Monday. The injuries were not believed serious.

Palestinian militants in Gaza also fired a barrage of at least 34 Qassam and Katyusha rockets at southern Israel on Monday, after a night of relative calm.

One of the rockets, fired mid-afternoon, exploded in a kindergarten in Ashdod. The playground was empty at the time of the attack, and no casualties were reported, though the attack did cause extensive damage to the structure.
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Magen David Adom ambulance crews transported five people to hospital, where they received treatment for shock.

The kindergarten, which is affiliated with the Shas educational network of schools, was completely destroyed as a result of the attack. The head of the network, Yoav Ben Zur, said the building had recently undergone a renovation.

"The hand of God was here," Ben Zur said. "We witnessed a huge miracle. This is a kindergarten that holds 36 students age three-to-four years old, and since Hanukah we have not resume our activities as per the instructions of the Home Front command."

Four more rockets exploded in the Ashkelon area. Their precise landing location has yet to be divulged to the news media.

One of the rockets exploded in an open field and another struck near a home safe room. A number of residents were treated for shock.

A spokesman for Hamas' military wing said Monday afternoon that the Islamist organization will fire more rockets deeper into Israel.

The spokesman's face was covered by a trademark red mask and he was identified by a nom de guerre, Abu Obeida. He appeared on Hamas' Al Aqsa TV on Monday. He said in a warning to Israeli ground forces that "we prepared for you thousands of mighty fighters, who wait for you in every street and every alleyway."

Abu Obeida stood before a map of Israel with crosses marking previous areas hit by Hamas rockets. The map also had circles for areas Hamas intends to hit.

Abu Obeida says the group plans to kidnap more Israeli soldiers.

At least four rockets hit the Ashkelon area and another two struck Be'er Sheva in the early afternoon. About an hour before, 3 Qassam rockets hit the western Negev town of Sderot, one exploding in the yard of a local home.

There were no casualties in any of the strikes, but a number of people were treated for shock.

Two rockets exploded Monday morning in open fields near the northern Negev city of Ashkelon. Just before that, two Grad rockets exploded in the lower central town of Yavneh and another rockets launched in the direction of Kiryat Malachi struck an open field nearby.

Earlier Monday morning, two rockets exploded in fields in the Eshkol Regional Council and another three struck the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional council. There were no casualties or damages reported in any of the incidents.

Gaza militants fired at least 45 rockets on Sunday, wounding three Israelis in various conditions.

A Grad rocket hit an Ashdod store Sunday afternoon, lightly wounding a woman and causing serious property damage. Several people were also treated for shock.

The blast, which shattered several hours of tense quiet, did not set off a warning siren. In a chicken farm within the Eshkol Regional Council territory, two persons were lightly injured when a Qassam hit.

Also Sunday, 11 rockets hit Sderot and one rocket hit an open area near Ashkelon, causing no injuries or damage.

Overall, Ashkelon residents had a relatively quiet day, taking advantage of the break in rocket fire to go outside, doing errands they had put off while the rocket barrage was more intense and enjoying the sunny weather.

The incoming commander of the police force's Southern District, Yohanan Danino, told Ashkelon municipal and police officials during a visit to the city on Sunday that they must not let the residents become apathetic to the danger of rocket fire, and should make sure they continue to follow the orders of the Home Front Command.

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      2.   Najd 13:28  |  John 05/01/09
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