Palestinians fire 3 Grads, 2 Kassams at Israel

Rockets hit open areas near Beersheba, Eshkol regions; IAF strikes rocket squad in Gaza, one Palestinian killed.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN, BEN HARTMAN
Rockets damage 6 390 (photo credit: REUTERS/Amir Cohen)
Rockets damage 6 390
(photo credit: REUTERS/Amir Cohen)
Palestinian terror factions in Gaza fired three long-range Grad rockets at Be'ersheva on Sunday morning, threatening to end a brief period of calm. The Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), one of several smaller Palestinian factions in Gaza, said it had launched one of the rockets that exploded near Beersheba.
The rockets triggered air raid sirens on the outskirts of Be'ersheva, and landed in open areas, the Israel Police said.
Earlier Sunday, two short-range Kassam rockets exploded in the Eshkol Regional Council, also landing in open areas and triggering rocket alert sirens.
Shortly after that attack, the Israel Air Force struck a rocket-launching terror cell in central Gaza. "We identified an accurate strike, and subsequent explosions [of rockets in the cell's possession] the IDF Spokesman Unit said.
Palestinian sources said one Hamas man was killed in the strike and another was injured.
The army said the cell was in the final stages of preparing to fire into southern Israel.
The violence continued later in the day, when Palestinians fired mortar shells at an IDF force on a routine patrol of the Gaza-Israel border. No injuries were reported in that attack.
In the afternoon, three Palestinian rockets exploded in the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council, triggering sirens. Soon afterwards, four rockets fell in the Eshkol Regional Council.
The Beersheba Municipality canceled school Sunday as a result of the threat of ongoing violence. Beersheba Mayor Rubik Danilovich noted that in recent years, four schools and kindergartens had been hit by Palestinian rockets in the Negev city, adding that casualties were avoided because they were closed ahead of time.
"If there are missiles, there will be no school," said Danilovich, who took the decision to shut the schools despite instructions by the Home Front Command to keep them open.
The violence follows a three-day lull since a surge last week saw Gaza-based terrorists launch over 80 rockets at Israeli towns and cities.
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.