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An IDF soldier guarding Sderot children Sunday as they board a bus to school amid Qassam strikes. (AP)
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IAF targets car carrying Islamic Jihad rocket squad in southern Gaza
By Or Kashti and Jack Khoury, Haaretz Correspondents, Haaretz Service and The Associated Press

Israel Air Force aircraft fired missiles toward the southern Gaza town of Khan Yunis Sunday afternoon, shortly after Islamic Jihad militants fired three Qassam rockets at the western Negev.

The militant group reported that the IAF missiles barely missed a vehicle carrying its members. The Israel Defense Forces said it had targeted a vehicle carrying an Islamic Jihad rocket lauching cell.

Rescue workers in Khan Yunis said three people were slightly hurt in the missile strike.

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Thr Qassam rockets fired earlier Sunday landed in open areas north of the western Negev town of Sderot, amid high tensions in the area as students returned to school.

The rockets caused no damage or injuries. Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Following the Qassam strike, the IAF carried out a strike in northern Gaza against what it said were armed rocket launchers aimed at Israel. Palestinian sources reported that no one had been hurt in the strike.

Students in the majority of the country's state schools began the school year Sunday, although schools in Arab communities opened Saturday.

Wary parents in Sderot, a frequent target of Palestinian rocket fire, had threatened not to send their children to school, but lifted the strike threat after being promised the schools were properly protected and shelters upgraded.

According to the parents, the government has pledged to build six new schools, as the parents had requested. The state also promised to reinforce the existing schools, to double the number of buses in the school transportation fleets, to refrain from cutting hours from the standard school day, to refrain from firing teachers and to find solutions for the unprotected schools and school bus stations.

"The situation is hard but we try to be OK and encourage the kids," said Ifat Sabag, a mother in this working class town of 22,000 residents. It is better ... to begin the year like everyone instead of staying home."

Alon Davidi, a Sderot resident taking his children to school, said the government had to protect the people of Sderot by rooting out the threat across the border. "The solution is not in Sderot. The solution is Gaza. The terrorists are in Gaza," he said.

In recent years, Sderot has been pummeled by thousands of homemade rockets launched from the neighboring Gaza Strip. In August alone, some 300 rockets were fired at the area, the IDF said, and on Saturday night, a rocket landed near an abandoned school.

To calm jittery residents, the army dispatched more than 200 soldiers to accompany the students back to school in Sderot and instruct them on emergency procedures.

"We are determined to open the year here in Sderot and protect the kids even though we understand that there is s still a threat and we cannot neglect it," said Public Security Minister Avi Dichter, who toured Sderot's schools Sunday in a show of support for the town.

Meanwhile, Sha'ar Hanegev's 560 elementary school students and their teachers were relocated Sunday to areas outside of the range of Qassam rocket fire.

"I am very excited, because today we are studying far from the Qassams, and we won't hear the Color Red [rocket] alert in the middle of class," said a local fifth grade teacher Sunday.

Fourth through sixth graders began studying at Kibbutz Ruhama, while first through third graders are studying at Kibbutz Brur Hayil until the necessary caravans are brought to Kibbutz Ruhama.

Kibbutz Ruhama was unable to adequately prepare for the influx of students due to the fact that the transfer was only approved two weeks ago.

The decision to transfer the students outside of the rocket range was made following a request by the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council. A new, fortified school is currently under construction, and will replace the old elementary school.

Middle and high school students are studying in fortified classrooms in Sha'ar Hanegev.
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  2.   WHO CARES? NOT HAARETZ 12:03  |  Yishai Kohen 02/09/07
  3.   They are aiming at school children, to mass murder them, and the 12:18  |  Natan 02/09/07
  4.   Perhaps if the Sderot parents condemned IDF child killing? 12:34  |  Natallie Durson 02/09/07
  5.   Qassam are flying because ... 14:16  |  Boris 02/09/07
  6.   Why the foot dragging? 15:02  |  Mark Lincoln 02/09/07
  7.   Rockets from Gaza 15:07  |  Brod 02/09/07
  8.   Occupation of northern Gaza. 15:11  |  Vital 02/09/07
  9.   #4 Durson`s Monotonous Trash 15:18  |  Bill Foonman 02/09/07
  10.   cheap blood 15:20  |  Tziporah Heller 02/09/07
  11.   Presumably fired from behind Pal civillian shields. 15:23  |  PETER SM 02/09/07
  12.   WHY 15:25  |  leon 02/09/07
  13.   Everyone has the right to life lliberty and security of person 15:35  |  sam 02/09/07
  14.   Israel gambling on the life of their children 15:54  |  Jon 02/09/07
  15.   To Nattalie 16:21  |  Laura 02/09/07
  16.   Beating captured Israeli children to death or shooting a captured 16:24  |  PETER.SM 02/09/07
  17.   quassam rockets 16:34  |  gilberto 02/09/07
  18.   #4 NUTallie Durson 16:34  |  * BEN JABO 02/09/07
  19.   #13 Sam 16:37  |  * BEN JABO 02/09/07
  20.   After you have made your bed, it`s time to sleep in it 16:47  |  Natallie Durson 02/09/07
  21.   IAF should use heavier warheads 16:51  |  Rafi 02/09/07
  22.   Natallie Durson - I want to tell you as an Arab, you 17:14  |  fawaz 02/09/07
  23.   Olmert is incapable of protecting Israel 17:24  |  Shepherd 02/09/07
  24.   CALIPHATE against Israel 17:30  |  indrajaya 02/09/07
  25.   Here is an appropriate course of action 17:43  |  Natallie Durson 02/09/07
  26.   Fawaz # 22 17:57  |  ChanahS 02/09/07
  27.   Brainwashed! 18:15  |  Lisen! 02/09/07
  28.   Once again, Ms. Durson, having read your reply to people, 18:19  |  fawaz 02/09/07
  29.   fawaz # 22 18:49  |  Lynn 02/09/07
  30.   What a Blood Thirsty Army... 18:57  |  Dutch 02/09/07
  31.   # 13 sam 19:08  |  Lynn 02/09/07
  32.   Bill Foonman 19:14  |  Israelit 02/09/07
  33.   Fawaz 19:16  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 02/09/07
  34.   Send the IDF.... 19:22  |  eastcoaster 02/09/07
  35.   #16 20:04  |  hal 02/09/07
  36.   Here is an appropriate course of action 20:15  |  Na Tallie Pharson 02/09/07
  37.   Natalie Durson 20:17  |  The Avenger 02/09/07
  38.   #30..Dutch 20:51  |  Who Cares 02/09/07
  39.   Isn`t it interesting? 21:11  |  Michael 02/09/07
  40.   You won?t miss next time, IDF 21:22  |  KUTW 02/09/07
  41.   30. Dutch: A brave army 21:37  |  KUTW 02/09/07
  42.   25. Natallie Durson: What is sauce for the goose? 21:40  |  KUTW 02/09/07
  43.   4. Natallie Durson: If the Pals condemned the killings 21:43  |  KUTW 02/09/07
  44.   24. indrajaya, threatening with the Caliphate again 21:48  |  KUTW 02/09/07
  45.   4. Natallie Durson: Condemning children killings 21:52  |  KUTW 02/09/07
  46.   So, Nathalie posted on the Lebanon article 23:23  |  Michael 02/09/07
  47.   Natalie and Indrajaya 00:52  |  Jason, Ph.D. 03/09/07
  48.   Natalie and Indrajaya 01:51  |  Stig Stockholm 03/09/07
  49.   #47, Jason 06:41  |  Silvienne 03/09/07
  50.   #46, Michael 06:44  |  Silvienne 03/09/07
  51.   #40, KUTW... 06:45  |  Silvienne 03/09/07
  52.   FAKE FAWAZ! #22 06:47  |  fawaz 03/09/07
  53.   #1, Daniel 06:49  |  Silvienne 03/09/07
  54.   #9, Bill Foonman, about Natalie Durson 06:52  |  Silvienne 03/09/07
  55.   #16, Peter SM 06:53  |  Silvienne 03/09/07
  56.   #21, Rafi (Rambo?) 06:56  |  Silvienne 03/09/07
  57.   KUTW, you`re right.... 07:01  |  Silvienne 03/09/07
  58.   Stig Stockholm 07:02  |  Silvienne 03/09/07
  59.   #49 Silvienne to Jason (not in the count) 07:41  |  * BEN JABO 03/09/07
  60.   #56 Silvienne to Rafi (not in the count) 07:56  |  * BEN JABO 03/09/07
  61.   57. Silvienne: Yes, I am right 08:08  |  KUTW 03/09/07
  62.   Nutalie Durson 09:38  |  Mark 03/09/07
  63.   Jason, Ph.D. 11:39  |  Silvienne, # 49 03/09/07
  64.   Sderot Children 01:24  |  Jim 04/09/07
  65.   nothing like dead terrorists in the morning 15:10  |  Igor D. 04/09/07
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