Wednesday Kassams cont'd: ONE ISRAELI KILLED, 10 Injured

An Israeli killed, 10 injured
in ongoing heavy Palestinian missile-mortar barrage Wednesday
February 27, 2008, 5:31 PM [10:31 A.M. EST in USA)

DEBKAfile’s military sources report 30 Qassam missiles and dozens of mortar shells crashed ... into Sderot, Shear Hanegev and Zikkim south of Ashkelon Wed. afternoon, Feb. 27.

A man of 40 was killed and a 20-year old critically wounded beside a car in the Sapir College campus which took a direct hit as did a home in Sderot and the Off Kor factory outside the town.

Ten people were injured and dozens suffered shock.

The barrage followed the Israeli airborne rocket attack, which killed 7 members of Hamas’ armed wing driving on a bus to a Hamas military facility near Khan Younes in the southern Gaza Strip.

Palestinian sources reported that three of the seven dead were senior members of the Hamas Qassam Brigades’ missile unit and were bound for a training session at a southern Gaza facility.

.... Hamas threatens to continue shooting missiles in response to Israeli targeted attacks. DEBKAfile military sources report Hamas attacks on Israeli civilians were initiated before and continue day after day whether or not Israel strikes back. Their extremist leaders based in Damascus resist all international attempts to mediate a halt in their offensive.

Monday, a nine-year old Israel boy was seriously injured by a Qassam rocket which hit a group of children playing in Sderot.

On the West Bank, a wanted Palestinian was killed and 4 were injured, two seriously, resisting arrest by an Israeli counter-terror unit in Nablus. The group was suspected of plotting a large-scale terror attack in central Israel.

Two were on the list of Fatah armed wing members granted Israeli amnesty, provided they renounced violence.

Arutz Sheva adds:

The rocket bombardment began with three waves of attacks at 3 PM, when the "Color Red" rocket warning alert was sounded in Sderot and environs. Eleven rockets were fired, one of which slammed into a chicken processing plant in Sderot, and others fell in the vicinity of the town. Though the rocket slammed into the factory's dining room, causing very heavy damage - dozens of workers had left the dining room shortly before the rocket hit - no one was directly hurt by shrapnel. Several victims were treated for shock.

This is at least the third time the poultry plant has been hit by a Kassam rocket. November 2006, Yaakov Yaakobov was killed when a rocket hit the factory, and last month, a fire was started when a Kassam hit the plant.

Around 3:30 PM, yet another Kassam rocket was fired at Israel, landing in the Eshkol region of the western Negev. No casualties or damage were reported.

In two other waves of attacks by 4:30, another ten rockets were fired at Israel, slamming into Sderot, S'dot Negev, and adjoining areas. A house in Sderot suffered a direct hit, with no reported injuries.

And get this, boys and girls: Haaretz has a new poll, announced today.

64% of Israelis say the government must hold direct talks with the Hamas government in Gaza toward a cease-fire and the release of captive soldier Gilad Shalit.

Less than one-third (28%) oppose such talks.

Dhimmedia is eating it up: CNN, UPI, al Reuters, CBS/AP ...