Qassam Attack: May 17th, 2007

There seems to be no respite for Sderot, towards where 30 Qassams were directed yesterday. Already today, a number of Qassams have struck the western Negev, including one that struck a high school. Today’s wounded include a mother and her nine-year-old daughter who are suffering from shock.

 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Olmert and Defense Minister Peretz continue their bickering, this time over whether or not to evacuate the residents of Sderot.

 

 

1:45PM: Ha’aretz reports that IDF tanks have crossed into the northern Gaza Strip, taking up what an army spokesman termed “defensive positions” just inside the territory.

 

2:10PM: The palestinian Ma’an news agency reports the entry of IDF tanks into Gaza as follows:

Interesting that they are reporting it accurately – the IDF tanks are there to stop the Qassam attacks, and not as part of some “Zionist aggression.”

 

2:20PM: Two Defense Ministry buses have evacuated more Sderot residents.

 

3:30PM: “The Zionist enemy has declared war.” So sayeth Hamas spokesman Abu Obaida, after his organization has spent the past few days firing over 50 rockets into Israel, and we finally hit back.

 

 

 

And believe it or not, some students came to the school today.

4:36PM: The IAF has attacked a car carrying Hamas terrorists, including a Hamas rocket manufacturer. Ynet is reporting one of the terrorists was killed, while Ha’aretz is reporting 2 dead.

 

4:58PM: The palestinians are claiming the IAF attacked another vehicle.

 

5:03PM: Looks like rocketman was critically injured.

 

5:55PM: 3 terrorists converted to worm food.

7:15PM: Make that 4.

7:20PM: The US has praised our restraint, and reinforced our right to defend ourselves.

7:22PM: Ynet reports that Qassams have landed in Sderot’s industrial area. Ha’aretz reports that fires have broken out at two Sderot factories following the Qassam attacks.

7:30PM: Ha’aretz are reporting that the IAF has struck another car containing 3 people.

7:55PM: A Qassam has landed near Ashkelon.

8:10PM: A Qassam has landed near Sderot.

8:20PM: For the second day in a row, palestinian “peace” protesters have gotten the short end of the stick gun barrel.

Unidentified gunmen opened fire on Thursday towards a rally organized in Gaza City by the leftist PFLP and DFLP movements. The Popular Front and the Democratic Fronts for the Liberation of Palestine were protesting the ongoing confrontations between Hamas and Fatah.

The two groups called on the rivals to respect the Mecca agreement, and to remove gunmen from the streets. Before the rally, several leaders of both factions gathered in the Unknown Soldier square in Gaza City.

—-

A leader in the PFLP, Kayid Al-Ghoul warned in a statement of new rounds of confrontations. He described the insistence of the rivals in continuing to fight each other as “shameful and harmful to the Palestinian image”.

Yep. That’s some image they’ve cultivated.

8:33PM: Channel 10 reports that Prime Minister Olmert has approved additional IDF attacks on Gaza targets.

10:25PM: IDF infantry entered Gaza earlier this evening.

10:45PM: Sderot’s City Council has announced that schools will be open tomorrow. Bulletproof buses will be provided to transport the students.

11:10PM: Fatah officials have announced that members of Hamas had planned to kill PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, head of Fatah, earlier in the day. Perhaps Abbas and Olmert can now join the same therapy group.

12:07AM: 20 Qassams were launched at Israel on Thursday.

Latest updates here.