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UN humanitarian chief John Holmes gesturing during a visit to Sderot on Sunday. (Reuters) Last update - 20:11 17/02/2008 UN humanitarian chief visits Sderot, condemns Qassam rocket fire By The Associated Press Tags: Qassam rockets, Sderot, UN  The United Nations's humanitarian chief toured the Qassam-battered western Negev town of Sderot on Sunday, condemning the rocket fire and urging Gaza's Hamas rulers to end the attacks. "We condemn absolutely the firing of these rockets. There's no justification for it. They are indiscriminate, there's no military target," John Holmes, the UN undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs, told The Associated Press after the tour. Also on Sunday, a Qassam rocket struck near the playground of a Sderot school. There were no injuries, but several people were treated for shock. Advertisement During his tour of Sderot, Holmes visited a school, a lookout point onto Gaza and met with trauma victims. Holmes nodded quietly as residents, some in tears, told their personal stories of anguish. A local man lifted his shirt and showed Holmes a shrapnel wound on his belly as a woman told him how she had lost a fetus after going into shock when a Qassam rocket landed near her. The woman added that a teenage daughter of hers had attempted to cut her wrists after one rocket attack. Holmes said he felt incredibly sorry for the people of Sderot, noting the traumatic psychological effects the attacks have had on children. "We just need to keep on saying to the people in Gaza, to the Hamas leadership, they have to stop these rockets. They do no good. They cause suffering," he said. Holmes, however, said the only way to solve the problem is through a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. "At the end of the day, the only thing that will make a lasting difference is a peace settlement," he said. "You can't stop these problems militarily. They have to be solved through negotiations." Sderot and nearby communities have been the targets of incessant rocket fire over the past seven years, causing widespread damage and killing 12 people. An eight-year-old boy lost a leg in a rocket attack last week. A short while after Holmes' visit, a rocket hit a house in the town, and one woman was terated for shock. Holmes is in Israel for a four-day tour of the country and Palestinian areas intended to assess the impact of the Qassam rocket fire and Israeli sanctions on the Gaza Strip. On Friday, he visited Gaza, calling the situation there 'grim and miserable.' "These grim and miserable things are results of the restrictions placed on the Gaza crossings," he said. Also visiting Sderot on Sunday was U.S. Senator Jon Kyl, Republican of Arizona. He voiced his support for the residents and also commended the killing of Hezbollah mastermind Imad Mughniyeh, who was targeted in a car explosion Tuesday in the Syrian capital of Damascus by unknown attackers. "Whoever took this terrorist out sent a message that there is a price they have to pay," he said. I" know some say this is a rallying cry for the terrorists. But they don't need a rallying cry. They already created the problem. There's no reason not to go after their leaders with everything we have." Related articles: UN official says situation in Gaza Strip 'grim and miserable' UN warns of humanitarian crisis as Israel seals Gaza crossings Four Palestinians killed in IDF arrest raid in southern Gaza Bookmark to del.icio.us   Independence day Kosovars rejoice as Kosovo declares itself an independent and sovereign state. Settling the score 1/3 of W. Bank settlements are on Palestinian land seized for 'security purposes.'   1.   Read between the lines 14:59  |  Michael 17/02/08   2.   I am just waiting for the bashers to say 15:14  |  dovale 17/02/08   3.   Exactly Wrong 15:18  |  Reluctant Hawk 17/02/08   4.   The arab world has one goal the destruction o 15:36  |  db 17/02/08   5.   Attacking a military target ............ 15:39  |  Avrum 17/02/08   6.   #1 - Oh, but read the rest of the same line 15:56  |  Global Citizen 17/02/08   7.   Mr. Holmes is working for the wrong organization 16:29  |  Conroy 17/02/08   8.   Mr. Holmes, The Palestinians are justified 16:48  |  Dutch 17/02/08   9.   UN`s call for strikes on Israel`s military 16:51  |  Shloimele 17/02/08   10.   Doris/Dutch 17:20  |  Educator 17/02/08   11.   Educator, No real equivalency 17:53  |  Dutch 17/02/08   12.   First stop missiles! 17:59  |  Dav 17/02/08   13.   12 Israelis have been killed in 7 years 18:10  |  Dav 17/02/08   14.   Lol Dutch contradicts even United Nations`s humanitarian chief 19:03  |  Shame on you! 17/02/08   15.   IS THERE DOCTOR IN HOUSE 20:53  |  TOBIA 17/02/08   16.   TELL ME WHAT AIRPORT DUTCH 20:58  |  TOBIA 17/02/08   17.   Destroy autos from air after Kassam 21:23  |  George 17/02/08   18.   Mr. Holmes 21:57  |  KUTW 17/02/08   19.   "Problems need to be solved through negotiations"(Mr. Holmes) 22:01  |  KUTW 17/02/08   20.   End occupation 22:16  |  Jamie Trablie Myers 17/02/08   21.   Mr Holmes reaction after visiting Gaza 22:20  |  Lee Brooker 17/02/08   22.   Bravo Senator Jon Kyl 22:44  |  KUTW 17/02/08   23.   according to most jews there ar over million 00:53  |  bozhidar 18/02/08   24.   You hypocrite if you don`t like qussams why don`t you supply them 01:20  |  lakshmi 18/02/08   25.   lakshmi you warmonger look at what suffering your Kassams brought 15:08  |  U peace hater 18/02/08

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