Southern farming community hit by mortar shells

No injuries reported in terrorist attack; head of regional council concerned by intentions of the government to cut budgets next year.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
Damaged house from mortar attack 311 (photo credit: Reuters)
Damaged house from mortar attack 311
(photo credit: Reuters)
Palestinian terrorists in Gaza fired three mortar shells at the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council in the south overnight on Sunday.
The first shell exploded near a fence surrounding a kibbutz, damaging the structure. Two additional mortars exploded near a kibbutz. A rocket alert system was activated, sending residents to find cover.
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No injuries were reported during the attacks.
Following the upsurge in rocket fire in the area in recent days, Alon Schuster, head of the regional council, said he was concerned by the intentions of the government to cut budgets next year that would harm communities.
Schuster said budget cuts in the fields of social workers, care for elderly citizens, education and other needs would undermine the strength of communities in the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council.
On Sunday night, a Kassam rocket exploded in open territory in the council.
"The rocket landed near a kibbutz. A rocket alert went off," a council spokeswoman said.
Last Thursday, two Grad rockets were fired from Gaza at southern Israel.
The first rocket exploded in open territory in the Lachish area, near the town of Kiryat Gat. Later on Wednesday night, a Grad rocket fell near Ashkelon. Police said the second rocket landed within Ashkelon city boundaries and damaged a road. A police response team was sent to the scene.
Air raid sirens were heard in several towns and villages in the south, including the Yoav Regional Council, the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council, and the Ashkelon coast Regional Council.
Residents in areas in which sirens were heard rushed into safe areas and shelters to take cover. Five people were lightly injured while running for shelter.
The injured were evacuated to Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon.
On Monday, a woman from a Bedouin village was moderately injured by shrapnel from a Palestinian rocket fired at southern Israel from Gaza.
That rocket landed between in open territory in the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council.