Britannia Radio

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Day 5 of Gaza operation: Beersheba under intensive Hamas rocket attack. Hotel on fire

December 31, 2008, 10:57 AM (GMT+02:00)

Contrary to previous report, the hotel fire was not caused by the fifth improved Grad rocket which hit Beersheba Wednesday, Dec. 31, on Day 5 of the Israeli operation against Hamas.

Four Grad Katyushas exploded in built-up areas. One dropped through the ceiling of an empty classroom, others exploded near an apartment building and one on empty ground outside the city. Twenty-one shock victims were hospitalized.

Beersheba's 250,000 citizens were ordered to shelter in solid buildings and schools shut until further notice. So too for the first time were the people of Omer and Hatzerim. Beersheba University has suspended studies. Missiles also struck Netivot, Ofakim,Yavne, the Eshkol farming district and Sderot, causing damage and light injuries.

Altogether 200,000 children in the areas targeted by Hamas are prevented from attending school. Local radio stations update Homeland Command directives to residents in several languages - including Russian and Amharic for new immigrants.

Beersheba is the largest town and the most distant, 40 km from Gaza, ever to come under rocket attack. The first two rockets were fired Tuesday night, Dec. 30. They sent 54 people in shock to hospital, half of them children, and damaged an empty nursery school.

Tuesday, as Palestinian missile and rockets against several Israeli towns and villages mounted to 50, Israel called up another 2,500 reservists and its military spokesman denied any recommendation to accept a 48-hour ceasefire.

The call-up order raised the number of reservists Israel has mobilized for the Gaza operation to 9,200. Israeli tank, infantry, armored and artillery units are massed outside the northern, central and southern Gaza Strip awaiting orders to go in.