The 35-year old woman was the 9th victim Israeli to have died in Palestinian rocket attacks against southern Israel in over six years. Israeli media said five rockets were fired at Sderot, four of which apparently missed their intended target.
The rockets were fired just hours after Israel’s Foreign Ministry told BosNewsLife that Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Sunday, May 20, killed Sameh Farauna, an alleged senior Hamas terrorist.
Farauna, a 28-year-old Gaza resident, was "involved in numerous launchings of rockets and mortar shells into Israel, including the attack on Israel Independence Day," the Ministry added in a statement. He was "also involved in shooting attacks along the route outside the Gaza Strip security fence, including at IDF posts," the Ministry said.
TERROR CELL
"Farauna and other members of his terror cell recently carried out shooting attacks against Israelis, including on March 19 in which they fired at an Israeli electricity worker, who was moderately wounded."
Palestinians were meanwhile mourning their deaths. An Israeli air strike killed at least four alleged members of Islamic Jihad on their way to launch rockets at the Jewish state from the northern Gaza Strip. In adittion Palestinian Christians, who make up a small majority in the area, have been trapped in their houses amid fears of more Israeli airstrikes, BosNewsLife learned.
However in a statement to BosNewsLife, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert warned more attacks are possible. "The security establishment is operating against the terrorists responsible for these attacks and dozens of them have been killed in recent days. Hamas members are paying – and will yet pay – for their actions," he said.
PROTECTION NEEDED
Olmert said citizens in Sderot and nearby areas need urgently protection. "Since last Tuesday, the city of Sderot and the other communities around the Gaza Strip have been under further attack. Over 120 Kassam rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip in five days," he Olmert stressed.
"The Hamas terrorist organization, which constitutes a significant part of the Palestinian Authority (PA) government, has again proven to the entire world that it is a murderous terrorist organization through and through."
The latest Israeli-Palestinian violence came shortly after Israeli companies expressed concerns that up to 90 percent of factories and plants in the Gaza vicinity are not fortified. The Manufacturers Associations of Israel blamed the government for "failing to protect the lives of over 5,000 workers in about 40 factories," reported Israeli news website Ynetnews.
GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE
Some facilities didn’t wait for government assistance. The Chemada chemical plant, which produces organic bromine compounds, said it had "fortified most of the plant" themselves. "We haven’t finished yet, but we followed IDF recommendations and prioritized accordingly," Chemada’s Chief Executive Officer Rony Maninger told Ynetnews.
Christian backed groups have also come to the aid of Israelis. On Sunday, May 20, Operation LifeShield, unveiled plans to provide transportable bomb shelters which it claimed "have been approved by and carry the IDF Homefront Command seal."
During Sunday’s launch in Jerusalem, Sderot Mayor Eli Moyal discussed "the need for shelters in light of the situation in the South where villages are under constant threat of Hamas missile attacks," Operation LifeShield said.
Please help us to continue our ministry by taking a volunteer subscription for any amount for a year. You receive the latest news flashes and updates. Want to republish? Special Offer: From just $100/year (or more if you wish to help) you receive all rights to republish all BosNewsLife stories. Please click. bosnewslife.com/index.php?//page.volunteerSubscription&menuId=18 Thanks so much. ‘BosNewsLife: Breaking the News for Copmpassionate Professionals’.
