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Roni Yechiah, 47. The father of four was killed Wednesday in a Qassam attack on Sderot. (Alberto Denkberg) Last update - 08:11 28/02/2008 Student killed in Negev college as Qassam barrage intensifies By Ofra Edelman and Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondents and Agencies Tags: Israel, Hamas, Qassam  Around 50 Palestinian rockets hit the western Negev on Wednesday, with one of them slamming into Sapir College near Sderot and killing a 47-year-old student. Another exploded on the helipad of Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon, while the hospital was treating casualties from Sderot. The deceased, Roni Yechiah from the town of Btecha in the western Negev, was inside his car in Sapir's parking lot. He died of shrapnel wounds to the chest. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack. Yechiah is survived by his wife, Esther, and four children: Niv, who is currently serving in the Israel Defense Forces, Lital, a 17-year-old high school pupil, her 14-year-old sister Coral and 8-year-old brother Idan. Advertisement The head of the Merchavim Regional Council, Avner Mory, was Yechiah's distant relative. He said Roni Yechiah is survived by 10 brothers. He recalled that five years ago, the family struggled to fund a badly-needed kidney transplant for Yechiah. Before the transplant, Mory said, Yechiah worked for a large construction company as the operator of a cement-mixer. Yechiah began studying logistics at Sapir after completing a long process of convalescence. His funeral is scheduled to take place today at 3 P.M. at the Btecha cemetery. Yechiah was the first Israeli killed by a rocket since May, when two died in separate attacks. "We call on the government to do everything it possibly can to stop this carnage," Mory said. "The people of Sderot and the towns around the Gaza Strip must not be made to live their lives like this, not knowing whether they will be next," he added. Ashkelon received two Katyusha rockets in addition to the one that hit the hospital. One of the Katyushas hit the town's southern industrial zone, and another exploded in the middle of a residential area inside the neighborhood of Shimshon. No one was injured in Ashkelon. Barzilai's director, Dr. Shimon Sherf, said hospital teams were busy finding better protected areas inside the hospital for the premature-baby department. For the time being, Ashkelon's city council decided against implementing the Color Red rocket-launch detection system. In a meeting with police representatives, the Israel Defense Forces Home Front Command, Magen David Emergency Services and the fire brigade, the council was informed that the system could be switched on within six hours. So far, Mayor Roni Mahatzri has refrained from employing the system, reportedly fearing widespread panic. Ashkelon officials said the system would produce a large number of false alarms, as every rocket fired at Sderot which receives much more fire and is closer to the Strip would set it off. Nati Messing, a third-year student at Sapir College, said the campus had turned into a firing range. "We heard the 'Color Red' sirens several times during the day and went into the protected space, and there was one serious boom. But it turns out that a Qassam struck in the parking lot some 50 meters from the building we were in." Messing added that students from the first-aid unit rushed to the scene of the strike and administered first aid to the victim, "but then we heard that it was too late. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Power to the people Egypt plans to provide all of Gaza's electricity, to wean dependency on Israel. Calculated escalation Hamas has been trying for some time to create a balance of deterrence with Israel.   1.   How many have to die before Olmert invades Gaza? 03:04  |  Shepherd 28/02/08   2.   His children 04:55  |  Mark Lincoln 28/02/08   3.   responce 05:10  |  yoni 28/02/08   4.   1 Israeli dead, 9e+999 Pals dead 06:36  |  engl 28/02/08   5.   47 yrs and a student?? 06:37  |  newsreader 28/02/08   6.   Olmert will bring sushi to the shiva 06:39  |  Avrum 28/02/08   7.   i advice israel to negotiate with hamas 07:51  |  emy 28/02/08   8.   More Palestinian war crimes 08:04  |  Joe Sittizen 28/02/08   9.   Keep hitting Hamas terrorists so Yechiah won`t have died in vain 08:04  |  Voice of Reason 28/02/08   10.   What are the politiciens waiting for ? 08:13  |  Jean Van Daem 28/02/08   11.   Everybody here says "talk to hamas" 08:40  |  Hastaroth 28/02/08   12.   ...Agree with you, Emy! 10:18  |  Chris 28/02/08   13.   After that PM is still thinking how to act decisevly? 11:56  |  Vital 28/02/08   14.   A wide operation., not incursion. 11:59  |  Vital 28/02/08   15.   F**K Hamas and Fatah 13:35  |  petra 28/02/08   16.   you just want revange 15:23  |  Ana 28/02/08   17.   please, Hamas is not Zionist 15:29  |  Ana 28/02/08   18.   when will you raze gaza? 16:29  |  frenz 28/02/08   19.   Graduation 19:20  |  LC 28/02/08   20.   hamas 05:32  |  man 01/03/08   21.   respond to ana 05:40  |  man 01/03/08   22.   Israel/Palestine/Peace 15:23  |  Acca 01/03/08   23.   Peace and Honesty 19:31  |  Peter 02/03/08

Today Online U.S. calls for end to violence, return to peace talks Responses: 354 10 Gazans killed, 4 troops hurt in ongoing IDF operation Responses: 196 MI Chief: Iran looking at Gaza violence to determine next step Responses: 141 Independent expert: IDF bullets didn't kill Mohammed al-Dura Responses: 123 Harel and Issacharoff: Hamas will now try to avenge Gaza deaths Responses: 78 Rosner's Domain Battle of Ohio: Will Tzipi meet Hillary? No "statement of interest" against terror victims (WTR) McCain, Obama gear up for face off over Iraq Poll: Your solution for the situation in Gaza Prosecutor in AIPAC case to leave before trial? (WTR) More Headlines 19:18 10 Gazans killed, 4 troops hurt in ongoing IDF op 20:59 2 Israelis lightly wounded as 23 rockets slam in western Negev 20:20 Hebron teen dies, 3 Israelis hurt as violence spreads to W. Bank 20:16 MI Chief: Iran looking at Gaza violence to determine next step 19:56 Barak to hold meet on legality of striking civilian areas in Gaza 20:52 U.S. calls for end to continued violence, return to peace talks 20:56 Long-silenced Iranian Jews find their political voice in America 15:17 Hillary Clinton comes out swinging as Ohio primary nears 20:49 Police halt Israeli Arab rally against Gaza op, arrest 2 at T.A. protest 15:39 Tel Aviv Stock Exchange slumps amid violence in south 14:12 Saudi Arabia compares IDF Gaza operation to Nazi war crimes 13:59 Ahmadinejad in Iraq: First-ever visit opens new chapter in ties 17:41 Expats' kids in IDF: 'If I don't help defend my home then who will?' Previous Editions Select Day 29 feb 28 feb 27 feb 26 feb 25 feb 24 feb 22 feb 21 feb 20 feb 19 feb 18 feb 17 feb

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