Hamas rockets cause Israeli casualties
May 22, 2007

Shirel Friedman, 32, of Sderot was killed and another man moderately injured Monday evening (May 21) when a Kassam rocket hit a car at a commercial center in Sderot. Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Resistance Committees all claimed responsibility for the attack. The fatal attack came during a meeting in Sderot between Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and EU Foreign Policy Commissioner Javier Solana.

Above: Local residents react near scene of fatal Kassam attack in Sderot, May 21, 2007 (Photo: Reuters)

Sderot and the western Negev have come under attack since Tuesday night (May 15), with a barrage of over 150 Kassam rockets landing in the town and surrounding area. Hamas has openly claimed responsibility for the ongoing attack.

• View video clip about Kassam attacks on Sderot

FM Livni in Sderot (May 21): "The situation in Sderot is unbearable... Israel must defend its citizens. Israel left Gaza in order to give peace a chance. In exchange, unfortunately, we are getting nothing but terrorism...
The people of Sderot feel that the world is deaf to their suffering. We not only expect that the world understand, but demand that the international community act with determination against the Palestinian Authority with no compromises when it comes to terrorism."

DM Peretz (May 20): "While Israel is not interested in intervening in an internal Palestinian conflict, it does not intend to show restraint toward continuing terrorism and missile attacks against its citizens."

Briefing by FM Livni to the Diplomatic Corps (May 18): "The situation in the south is not part of an ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. For too long, the international community has taken the situation in the southern part of Israel as acceptable, as part of the routine in Israel - and it is not. Enough is enough." (Full opening statement)

FM Livni (May 16): "We expect the international community to demand of the Palestinian authority and the Palestinians to stop this violence against innocent civilians in Israel." (Full statement)

PM Olmert (May 16): "The Hamas government is behind the terrorist actions and it cannot be that it also seeks international recognition and economic assistance from the nations of the world." The IDF has been authorized to carry out a series of actions to strike at those who launch Kassam missiles and their commanders, to disrupt launch capabilities and to strike at terrorist infrastructures. (Text of communique)

IDF Spokesman (May 17): "Following continuous launchings of rockets into Israel and other terrorist activities executed by Hamas and other terror organizations, the IDF carried out during the day four aerial attacks against terrorists in Gaza City, in the northern Gaza Strip." (Text of communique)

IDF Spokesman (May 18): "Close to 30 Kassam rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel in the past 24 hours, two of which hit a school and a synagogue in Sderot." (Text of communique)