Man sustains moderate injuries when Qassam explodes in industrial zone; at least 10 rockets hit south following IAF strike on three Hamas bases

A weeklong barrage of rockets on Israel´s south continued on Saturday morning with at least 10 Qassams being fired from the Gaza Strip towards the Sderot vicinity.

A Qassam rocket that exploded in an industrial zone in the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council injured a man in his 50s and heavily damaged a factory. The victim, who was hit by shrapnel, sustained moderate wounds and was taken to the Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon.

An initial probe found that the shrapnel penetrated the protected area in which the victim, an employee at the facility, was hiding. According to a manager at the factory, the shelter was located 30 meters away from the blast site.

"At first the worker clutched his chest because he thought he was hurt there, but we realized that he was injured in his neck," he said. "This is the third time we are hit by a Qassam, but this is the worst damage so far. The blast occurred at a critical area in the factory."

Sderot Mayor David Buskila met with police and Home Front Command officials to assess the situation following the barrage. Residents of Gaza vicinity communities were instructed to remain close to their fortified areas.

"The bombardment on Sderot is endless," one resident of the southern city told Ynet. "We remain in the shelters."

IAF aircraft struck three Hamas bases in Gaza overnight. Palestinian medical officials reported that 20 people were injured.

Restrained response

On Friday night, the Ashkelon region came under fire, scrapping expectations of an imminent ceasefire. Three rockets exploded after 10 pm in the Hof Ashkelon and Eshkol regional councils. The IDF responded with a strike on a terrorist cell launching rockets in Gaza, killing one and injuring three.

IDF officials on Friday expressed discontent over the last round of fighting in the Gaza Strip, saying that despite calls for a ceasefire by Hamas, the rocket barrages have yet to stop.

The army sources postulated that Hamas initiated this week´s round of fire believing it had the upper hand, a notion reinforced by Israel´s feeble response, which was limited compared to previous rounds.

Since Monday, some 150 rockets and dozens of mortar shells hit the south. One Border Guard officer was moderately wounded and ten others sustained light injuries. Hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens spent the week in fortified areas, and a number of fires erupted at rocket landing sites.

According to Palestinian reports, at least 11 people were killed in Gaza, including nine armed terrorists, a civilian and a girl. (Copyright 2012 © Yedioth Internet 06/23/12)