Gili Cohen, Avi Issacharoff, Yanir Yagna
Haaretz
March 12, 2012 - 12:00am
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/gaza-rockets-strike-40-km-south-of...


Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired more than 40 rockets at Israel on Monday, as the heavy cross-border barrage continued into its fourth day. Two of the rockets fired Monday exploded near Gedera, just 40 kilometers south of Tel Aviv, and another struck inside the southern city of Ashdod.

A woman and one other person sustained light to moderate shrapnel wounds as a result of a grad rocket striking Ashdod. The woman was evacuated to Rehovot's Kaplan Hospital. Four Israelis were also treated for shock. Damage was caused to store buildings and cars in the city.

Most of the rockets fired Monday exploded in open areas or were intercepted by the Iron Dome anti-missile system.

One rocket exploded in the Eshkol Regional Council, and caused minor damage to a building. On Monday afternoon, the IDF Spokesperson announced that 37 rockets had exploded in Israeli territory over the course of the day, with three Iron Dome interceptions since the morning.

On Sunday, a total of 23 missiles were fired at Israel from Gaza, following the 47 fired on on Saturday 47.

Overnight Sunday, the IDF carried out a strike in Gaza that killed two Islamic Jihad militants and one 15-year-old Palestinian, and wounded 38 others. Later Monday, the IAF carried out another strike in Gaza, which killed two more Palestinians – a 65-year-old man and his 30-year-old daughter.

In a separate strike, the IAF killed another Palestinian militant who was launching a rocket toward Israel. The IAF also reported targeting a weapons storage site and five rocket-launching sites in the Gaza Strip.

The Home Front Command decided to cancel classes in most of the Israeli towns near Gaza on Monday, for a second day.

Two Grad-type Katyusha rockets struck Be'er Sheva on Sunday, after the Iron Dome battery that had been protecting it suffered a technical malfunction. One rocket hit an empty school, and the other hit a parked car. Fifteen people were treated for shock, though there were no other casualties.

The rockets and the ball bearings that they ejected hundreds of meters caused heavy damage to buildings and vehicles. Another rocket hit a chicken coop in Moshav Carmia in the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council, causing heavy damage.

Since Friday, 104 rockets were fired toward Israel, 43 of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome defense systems. The IAF carried out 23 strikes in the Gaza Strip.




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