Boy, 16, critically injured as Gaza missile hits bus
By JPOST.COM STAFF
LAST UPDATED: 04/07/2011 15:43
Driver also lightly injured as anti-tank missile explodes outside Kibbutz Sa'ad in Sha'ar Hanegev; MDA attempts to revive 16-year-old; missile lands hours after IAF bombs 2 smuggling tunnels in northern Gaza.
Photo: Channel 10
An
anti-tank missile shot from the Gaza Strip exploded near a school bus
outside Kibbutz Sa'ad in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council on
Thursday, injuring two people.
The 16-year-old was in critical
condition after paramedics managed to resuscitate him. He was airlifted to Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba. Magen David
Adom relayed that the boy was struck in his head by shrapnel from the
missile.
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The
bus driver was listed in light condition. They were the only people on the bus.
Paramedics who revived the boy reported that they did so while under mortar fire.
Magen David Adom has raised its alert level to "Level B," one stage short of the highest level.
Local officials in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council were reporting a barrage of mortar shells and Kassams being fired at the border region following the missile attack..
Police
sealed off roads in the area due to the threat of additional projectile
fire. Civilians in the area were asked to remain in their homes.
The
missile came several hours after the IAF struck three smuggling tunnels
in the southern Gaza Strip and one tunnel in the northern area of the Strip.
The IDF spokesperson said that the
forces recorded direct hits in the strikes which came in response to
anti-tank missiles fired into Israel.
The IDF also recently installed the Iron Dome counter-rocket defense system in Ahskelon and Beersheba.
Yaakov Lappin contributed to this report.
