Another rocket fell down close to my house.

Many people have left the southern part of Israel for the week end. ( about 1/3 ) We left our home for Tel Aviv about 10.15 this morning. A few hours later my daughter called one of her friends and was told that a rocket had hit Gan Yavne. It landed about two hundred meters from our house…...….
To our great luck no people were hurt as it fell on an area which has not yet been built. Just next to this open space is a childrens play ground, but as no children leave the house to play it was empty.
The rockets fired from Gaza used to be Kassams. Today we were informed about the difference between a Kassam and the new rockets which can reach up to a distance of 40 kilometers. They call them “Grad” and they are “made in China”. These rockets have most likely been entering into Gaza through the many tunnels dug between Gaza and Egypt during the 6 months "cease fire" since last summer . They are factory made while a Kassam is “home made” . So I’m learning…..

Close to 20 rockets of this kind has been fired at Israel today. One of them hit an apartment building in Ashdod and the other a house in a place called Netivot closer to the border. The house was completely destroyed and one person was lightly injured.
To their great luck the family living at the top floor in Ashdod had left town for the week end. They were watching the news on TV when they realized that it actually was their own home that was hit. Two of the inhabitants in the building were wounded, but not seriously.

It has been another tough day on the inhabitants of Gaza as well. We were informed that 150.000 people have left their homes and are seeking refuge in buildings or institutions run by the UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees)
People need to stay in line for hours in order to buy bread.
What can I tell you……..

Arabs are demonstrating in many places within the borders of Israel. The leader of Hamas has expressed disappointment about lack of support from Arab countries . He is on TV from Gaza trying to trigger the third “Intifada” ( Arab uprising )
The two previous ones brought no blessings upon the Arabs. I have lots of Arab friends who wish with all their hearts that they could turn the time back to the situation before the first “Intifada” . I miss "the good old days" myself...

Egypt is being criticized for not doing anything. The Egyptian president and the foreign minister have been very clear from the beginning of this military operation that Hamas is to blame for the present situation in Gaza.

We have just now been informed that Israeli ground forces have entered into Gaza….

Elin Elkouby