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The site of the Katyusha rocket strike, near Netivot. (Sadot Hanegev Regional Council)
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Last update - 23:44 07/10/2007
IDF says Hamas responsible for Katyusha fired from Gaza Strip
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent and News Agencies
The Israel Defense Forces said on Sunday that Israel held Hamas responsible for the firing of a Katyusha from the Gaza Strip at the Negev town of Netivot earlier in the day. (Click here for map)

The rocket, identified as a Grad-type Katyusha, caused no damage or injuries.

IDF spokesman Captain Benjamin Rutland said, "Hamas bears responsibility for all the terror attacks emanating from the Gaza Strip regardless of who actually fired the rocket."
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He said that use of longer range rockets meant that they could be fired from deep inside Gaza, including from within heavily populated areas.

The Popular Resistance Committees claimed responsibility for the attack, which coincided with a number of mortar attacks on the Negev on Sunday.

The mayor of Netivot said that the government had denied the town funds intended for civil rocket defense. He said the stated reason for denying the funds was that the town is located 11 kilometers from the Gaza border, rather than within a 10-kilometer radius the government had set, Israel Radio reported.

The Russian-invented Katyusha has a longer range than the more makeshift Qassam rocket that has been fired by the thousands at Negev towns and villages. Most Katyushas fired in the region are fired by the pro-Iranian Lebanese Hezbollah organization. But Palestinians fired a Katyusha at the southern Israel city of Ashkelon a year ago.

Israeli security officials have expressed concerned that Gaza militants could fire large quantities of Katyushas into Israel. Army Radio cited Military Intelligence chief Amos Yadlin as telling the cabinet that Israel viewed with gravity and concern the militants' ability to strike deeper inside Israel.

Defence Minister Ehud Barak has said Israel is considering a sweeping military operation in the Gaza Strip to counter the almost daily rocket salvoes. Israel also has threatened to cut power it supplies to the territory unless the attacks ceased.

While Sunday's attack was not the first Katyusha to be fired out of Gaza, such attacks are extremely rare. The Islamic Jihad militant group claims to have fired about a dozen Russian-made rockets at Israel since March 2006, and to have many in their possession
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  1.   Katyusha? 11:57  |  chris 07/10/07
  2.   Israelis are good at talking,perhaps they`d bore Hamas to death 12:05  |  Absolute Sweden 07/10/07
  3.   New Toys, Chris 12:14  |  Major R 07/10/07
  4.   We told you they would 12:15  |  Your Conscience 07/10/07
  5.   BARAK SAID DAYS TICKING TO GAZA INCURSION. NOW HOURS!! 12:29  |  Tom Bell 07/10/07
  6.   Rockets red glare 12:37  |  Flickcool 07/10/07
  7.   Free more of them! 12:37  |  Jonathan S 07/10/07
  8.   Disturbing Headline 12:50  |  Shmuel 07/10/07
  9.   I TOLD YOU SO, ITOLD YOU SO, I TOLD YOU SO !!!! 12:55  |  Mitch Iginer 07/10/07
  10.   What is striking now? 12:56  |  Fairplay 07/10/07
  11.   With God`s Blessing 13:21  |  Rabbi Harry Wahn 07/10/07
  12.   A NECESSARY PREREQUISTE TO ISRAEL`S REACTION 13:21  |  Ian 07/10/07
  13.   The solution is simple 13:27  |  Obvious Answer 07/10/07
  14.   #11- Wahnsinn 13:44  |  chris 07/10/07
  15.   There must be a cost 13:55  |  ATLAS 07/10/07
  16.   Militants 13:58  |  Joshua 07/10/07
  17.   What is their motive? 14:09  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 07/10/07
  18.   responses 14:22  |  Michael 07/10/07
  19.   More Rocket Attacks on Israel 14:23  |  Brod 07/10/07
  20.   To #1 14:26  |  Gershon Reed 07/10/07
  21.   # Flicko`Cool 14:28  |  Kooky Dennt 07/10/07
  22.   There will be no meaningful response from Israel 14:45  |  Boris 07/10/07
  23.   Obvious Answer # 13 Not So Simple 14:48  |  Jeff Northridge 07/10/07
  24.   This was bound to happen sooner or later,israel had better get 14:49  |  lakshmi 07/10/07
  25.   BARAK, AS YOU DID WITH THE SYRIAN 14:55  |  Robert 07/10/07
  26.   "..such attacks are extremely rare" 14:56  |  Judith. Haifa 07/10/07
  27.   BBC terminology - "Militants"? 15:08  |  Robert 07/10/07
  28.   Moving borders and erecting barriers ... 15:09  |  Fairplay 07/10/07
  29.   Remove The Ruling Regime NOW 15:10  |  Moshe 07/10/07
  30.   All Gov.t Ministers Must Move with Families to Western Negev 15:12  |  Shlomo 07/10/07
  31.   brod @19 JUST WAIT-BARAK IS COMING 15:27  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 07/10/07
  32.   #5, Tom Bell 15:27  |  Hannah 07/10/07
  33.   grad rockets 15:35  |  marcel 07/10/07
  34.   #1 Chris - easy to identify Katyusha 15:36  |  Shlomo 07/10/07
  35.   to #26 Judith in Haifa 15:37  |  yoav 07/10/07
  36.   violation of international law 15:51  |  Tess 07/10/07
  37.   Bombardment at S. Israel and the Kurds 15:52  |  Brod 07/10/07
  38.   who is supplying? 15:54  |  ariel 07/10/07
  39.   # 17 Margie what is their motive 15:54  |  H 07/10/07
  40.   # 17 Margie what is their motive 15:54  |  H 07/10/07
  41.   To Hannah 15:54  |  Dangor 07/10/07
  42.   It`s Time To Stop Playing Games With Gaza 15:59  |  Shepherd 07/10/07
  43.   qassams...now katyushas...what next...? 16:00  |  ravi 07/10/07
  44.   13...obvious answer.... obviously blind 16:03  |  ravi 07/10/07
  45.   Lakshmi #24 & # 38 Hannah 16:04  |  Kipperraes 07/10/07
  46.   #38 Hanoi Hannah, Lakshmuck, Clicktwit et al 16:05  |  Bill Foonman 07/10/07
  47.   #17 Marhie the EX SA pat missing from des tutu thread 16:08  |  Labhras 07/10/07
  48.   #40, Tess 16:20  |  Hannah 07/10/07
  49.   Iakshmi # 24 Negotiate With Hamas? 16:24  |  Jeff Northridge 07/10/07
  50.   SIMPLE SOLUTIOM 16:26  |  Jo Jo 07/10/07
  51.   firing squads 16:27  |  rico 07/10/07
  52.   Number 11: Mr. Wahn 16:28  |  Peter 07/10/07
  53.   #15 ATLAS - You haven`t been following my postings 16:33  |  Yonatan 07/10/07
  54.   Hannah #52 16:36  |  Brod 07/10/07
  55.   #11...with g-d`s blessing 16:39  |  dano 07/10/07
  56.   Build boats, rafts and rubber dinghies 16:40  |  Hannah 07/10/07
  57.   Christians , Katushas and peace treaties 16:54  |  Daniel 07/10/07
  58.   Yonotan # 59 17:07  |  ATLAS 07/10/07
  59.   IS GAZA STILL THERE ? 17:12  |  ottomatik 07/10/07
  60.   #54, Brod 17:34  |  Hannah 07/10/07
  61.   About "future famous poets" 17:34  |  David to Hannah 07/10/07
  62.   Terrorist`s fire 4 Katyusha rockets 17:54  |  Free the World 07/10/07
  63.   Israel continues to pay for her "painful concessions" 17:57  |  Chaim 07/10/07
  64.   Hannah the MOUTH PIECE 18:03  |  Free the World 07/10/07
  65.   38 Hannah,greetings! 40 Tess,it`s not that clearcut 18:06  |  lakshmi 07/10/07
  66.   ravi # 47 What To Do? (part 2) 18:06  |  Jeff Northridge 07/10/07
  67.   #74, Atlas 18:13  |  Hannah 07/10/07
  68.   hannah and satan 18:14  |  danny 07/10/07
  69.   55Howdy jeff,you`ve set up a straw man because israel does not 18:18  |  lakshmi 07/10/07
  70.   Hannah #70 18:18  |  Brod 07/10/07
  71.   Hannah #53- 18:21  |  Tess 07/10/07
  72.   #79, Free the World 18:28  |  Hannah 07/10/07
  73.   The Longer the Range, the Wider the Buffer 18:31  |  Solon 07/10/07
  74.   Dear Swede Irsealis talk 18:35  |  Swedes best mashed 07/10/07
  75.   #83, danny 18:39  |  Hannah 07/10/07
  76.   Pound Gaza 18:42  |  KUTW 07/10/07
  77.   #84, Igor fra Oslo 18:45  |  Hannah 07/10/07
  78.   How do they get katyushas? 18:45  |  KUTW 07/10/07
  79.   #70..Hannah Re:54 18:51  |  Nemesis 07/10/07
  80.   ravi # 47 What To Do? (part 3) 18:51  |  Jeff Northridge 07/10/07
  81.   occupation 18:54  |  danny 07/10/07
  82.