On Tuesday morning, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman convened a situation assessment meeting at the IDF Kirya headquarters in Tel Aviv with Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot and the leaders of the defense establishment, following the firing of about 30 mortar shells at the Gaza perimeter Israeli settlements.
It is believed that the attacks were carried out in response to the killing of three Islamic Jihad activists two days ago.
The gardener of one of the Israeli communities outside Gaza was slightly injured by shrapnel Tuesday morning and was taken to Soroka Hospital in Be’er Sheva.
Senior Islamic Jihad leader Daoud Shihab responded to the morning mortar shelling saying, “The blood of our people is not cheap, and even when the terrorists insult the blood of our people without being deterred, the dignity of our people is the most precious thing to us. This is a clear message that the resistance continues and is ready and able to carry out confrontations.”
The Eshkol Regional Council decided to cancel a show students were scheduled to attend, because of parents’ fear of the bus running into mortar fire on the way.
In a news interview, Meirav Cohen, who lives in the community where the mortar shell fell near a kindergarten, said, “The routine in the Gaza ‘envelope’ is very dynamic. We try to move on and display the fact that it’s all just routine, while remaining prepared and alert. Every person responds according to their personality, but there is a lot here that makes people panic and causes anxiety. It’s frightening, and every response is legitimate.”
She added that the children had come to the shelled kindergarten this morning and that their environment is protected.
The EU Ambassador to Israel Emmanuel Joffre said in response to mortar fire: “As children prepared for school in the morning, a barrage of missiles was fired at southern Israel. One fell outside a kindergarten. I know the hardy communities of southern Israel, but indiscriminate attacks are totally unacceptable and should be strongly condemned.”
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