Rockets Light up Sky with “Fireworks”

Over the past 48 hours, thousands of rockets hit Israel from the Gaza Strip, forcing residents in the South, Center and surrounding communities into bomb shelters and security rooms.

Tuesday night and Wednesday saw the largest-ever barrages of rocket fire directed toward central Israel from the Gaza Strip, with the Hamas terror group saying it fired upwards of 130 missiles toward the city of Tel Aviv, Givatayim, Rishon Lesion, Holon, Petach Tikvah, as well as Beit Shemesh, Modin  and up to Hetziliya and Netanya.

Seven people in Israel have been killed.

On Tuesday, the death in Ashkelon marked the first fatality in Operation Guardian of the Walls. A deadly rocket attack directly struck a home where an elderly woman was sitting with her caregiver, 32-year-old Soumya Santosh from India. Santosh was killed instantly. She leaves behind a husband and nine year old daughter.

Late Tuesday evening, Leah Yom Tov died from a direct hit to her home in Rishon Lesion. Leah was a 63 year old widow, she leaves behind 2 sons, and five grandchildren. She was burried late Wednesday night.

Elana Cohen suffered a heart attack from the rocket sirens.

Early Wednesday morning, Khalil Awwad 52, and his daughter Nadine, 16, died when a rocket hit their car in Lod.

Hamas operatives fired an anti-tank guided missile at an Israeli jeep on the Gaza border on Wednesday morning, killing Staff Sgt. Omer Tabib 21. He was one month away from finishing his mandatory army service. Omer will be buried tomorrow at 11 am in the Cemetery in Eliyakim.

Ido Avigal, a six year old boy from Sderot, succumbed to his wounds from a direct rocket hit to his home. Ido was in the bomb shelter when shrapnel from the rocket penetrated the family’s bomb shelter.

We mourn with the victims family and friends. May their  memories  forever be a blessing. OneFamily promises to look after each of these families. We will support them and not let them fall. 

Hundreds  have been physically injured,  some seriously, including a 5-year-old girl in critical condition. Hamas operatives fired an anti-tank guided missile at an Israeli jeep on the Gaza border on Wednesday morning, seriously injuring one and moderately injuring two more. Immediately after the missile attack, terrorists fired waves of mortar shells at the area, around the community of Netiv Ha’asara just north of the Gaza Strip, in an apparent effort to keep medical teams and security forces away. In Tel Aviv, an 80-year-old man suffered an apparent heart attack while running for a shelter and was in serious condition.

Thousands of Israeli’s are suffering emotionally and are being treated for shock.  The number of cities under threat continued to grow – sirens sounded out in Netivot, Ofakim, Ashkelon, Ashdod, KiryatGat, Yavne, Tel Aviv, and Rehovot. Residents depending where they live, have between 15 to 45 seconds to take cover. As sirens sound, motorists driving on roads and highways hastily park their cars and lay face down on the roadside.

Corrin from Tel Aviv shared on her facebook:  “I just put my baby to sleep when the sirens sounded. This evening I was terrified and cried because I was afraid for her life. We don’t have a bomb shelter in our apartment or even in the building. I was so shocked that I took her and ran outside without my phone or shoes.”

The security establishment estimates the recent escalation will continue for another few days, noting that close to 1100 rockets have been fired by terrorists since Monday. The Ministry of Education is expected to add additional schools to the growing list that will be shut until the violence dies down.

The army has hit more than 150 targets in the Gaza Strip in this latest round of unrest, adding it was prepared to continue airstrikes for as long as the rocket attacks continue.

A State of  emergency has been declared in Lod, 16 units of Reserve Soldiers and Border police forces were deployed late last night  to the city as synagogues, stores, cars set alight by Arab mobs.

President Reuven Rivlin condemed the rioters in Lod and said the Arab leadership needs to speak out in light of the recent upsurge in violence.“The sight of the pogrom in Lod and the disturbances across the country by an incited and bloodthirsty Arab mob, injuring people, damaging property and even attacking sacred Jewish spaces is unforgivable,” Rivlin says. “Tearing down the Israeli flag by Arab rioters and replacing it with the Palestinian flag is a brutal assault on shared existence in the State of Israel.”

For those of us deeply attached to Israel this is a nightmare affecting every single Israeli citizen. The feeling of helplessness is overwhelming. The number of people being registered for intake with OneFamily is not something we can quantify right now as the barrage of rockets continues.OneFamily resources are being lined up to help right now including counsellors, therapists, logistics coordination, money, food, shelter, and more. There is a critical need for donations,  we ask that you please give generously.

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