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In Israeli Border Town, Rubble and Blood In Israeli Border Town, Rubble and Blood
(about 4 hours later)
KIRYAT MALACHI, Israel — An open tub of chocolate spread sat on the counter; pots on the stove were filled with shards of glass. Tiny shoes were scattered in the narrow hallway, its walls spattered with blood.KIRYAT MALACHI, Israel — An open tub of chocolate spread sat on the counter; pots on the stove were filled with shards of glass. Tiny shoes were scattered in the narrow hallway, its walls spattered with blood.
It was just after 8 a.m. when the sirens went off in this largely blue-collar town of about 20,000 in southern Israel. Kiryat Malachi, which means the City of Angels, had not suffered a direct hit by rockets from Gaza before.It was just after 8 a.m. when the sirens went off in this largely blue-collar town of about 20,000 in southern Israel. Kiryat Malachi, which means the City of Angels, had not suffered a direct hit by rockets from Gaza before.
One of the top-floor apartment of this rundown four-story building was home to the Sharf family, a couple in their 20s with a boy, 4, and a girl of 8 months. Neighbors said they had recently come from India, where they were emissaries for the Chabad-Lubavitch organization of Hasidic Jews. At the incoming rocket alert they did not rush for the relative safety of the stairwell as many of the neighbors did; perhaps they did not know the drill. One of the top-floor apartment of this rundown four-story building was home to the Scharf family, a couple in their 20s with a boy, 4, and a girl of 8 months. Neighbors said they had recently come from India, where they were emissaries for the Chabad-Lubavitch organization of Hasidic Jews. At the incoming rocket alert they did not rush for the relative safety of the stairwell as many of the neighbors did; perhaps they did not know the drill.
In the apartment next door, Yitzhak Amsalem, also in his 20s, ignored his mother’s pleas to take shelter. Instead he and Aharon Smadja, a rabbi and a friend, stood by the window, eager to photograph “the fireworks,” neighbors said.In the apartment next door, Yitzhak Amsalem, also in his 20s, ignored his mother’s pleas to take shelter. Instead he and Aharon Smadja, a rabbi and a friend, stood by the window, eager to photograph “the fireworks,” neighbors said.
When the rocket crashed into the top of building, it took the first Israeli casualties in this round of violence: Mr. Amsalem and Mr. Smadja, and Mira Scharf, the mother of two.When the rocket crashed into the top of building, it took the first Israeli casualties in this round of violence: Mr. Amsalem and Mr. Smadja, and Mira Scharf, the mother of two.
On Thursday, Kiryat Malachi, Rishon Lezion and Tel Aviv to the north all joined the circle of Israeli population centers vulnerable to the rockets being fired from Gaza, whose longer range threaten hundreds of thousands more Israelis.On Thursday, Kiryat Malachi, Rishon Lezion and Tel Aviv to the north all joined the circle of Israeli population centers vulnerable to the rockets being fired from Gaza, whose longer range threaten hundreds of thousands more Israelis.
The Israeli assault on Gaza that began a day earlier has focused on taking out the militant groups’ stockpiles of the more powerful rockets. But the deadly attack on Kiryat Malachi in the morning and the rockets fired at Tel Aviv after dark only underscored the seemingly Sisyphean nature of the task at hand. More than 14,000 rockets and mortar shells have slammed into southern Israeli over the last 11 years, according to the Defense Ministry. There have been more than 750 this year.The Israeli assault on Gaza that began a day earlier has focused on taking out the militant groups’ stockpiles of the more powerful rockets. But the deadly attack on Kiryat Malachi in the morning and the rockets fired at Tel Aviv after dark only underscored the seemingly Sisyphean nature of the task at hand. More than 14,000 rockets and mortar shells have slammed into southern Israeli over the last 11 years, according to the Defense Ministry. There have been more than 750 this year.
Israel’s devastating three-week offensive against the militant groups in Gaza in the winter of 2008-09 brought quiet for a while. But this year, the lulls between the bouts of cross-border fire had gotten shorter and the range of the militant weapons grew longer. In the absence of a more radical strategy, Israeli experts said, there was a need to go in again and restore deterrence. In the local jargon, it is called “cutting the grass.”Israel’s devastating three-week offensive against the militant groups in Gaza in the winter of 2008-09 brought quiet for a while. But this year, the lulls between the bouts of cross-border fire had gotten shorter and the range of the militant weapons grew longer. In the absence of a more radical strategy, Israeli experts said, there was a need to go in again and restore deterrence. In the local jargon, it is called “cutting the grass.”
The recently deployed Iron Dome antirocket missile system has given Israel some protection. At least 100 rockets headed for populous Israeli cities were intercepted high above the ground in the first 24 hours of the Israeli operation, minimizing the damage. But there were no Iron Dome batteries protecting Kiryat Malachi on Thursday, and many here said they had nowhere really safe to run.The recently deployed Iron Dome antirocket missile system has given Israel some protection. At least 100 rockets headed for populous Israeli cities were intercepted high above the ground in the first 24 hours of the Israeli operation, minimizing the damage. But there were no Iron Dome batteries protecting Kiryat Malachi on Thursday, and many here said they had nowhere really safe to run.
Nava Chayoun, 40, who lives on the second floor, said her husband, Yitzhak, ran up the stairs immediately after the rocket struck and saw Mrs. Scharf lying under rubble on the floor. He rescued the two children, who were badly wounded. The father had already run down the stairs, she said, in shock and covered in blood. Afterward, she said, she and her children huddled together and “read psalms.”Nava Chayoun, 40, who lives on the second floor, said her husband, Yitzhak, ran up the stairs immediately after the rocket struck and saw Mrs. Scharf lying under rubble on the floor. He rescued the two children, who were badly wounded. The father had already run down the stairs, she said, in shock and covered in blood. Afterward, she said, she and her children huddled together and “read psalms.”
Among the rubble in the Amsalems’ apartment were two hand-shaped wall ornaments bearing Hebrew blessings for the home, like a charm.Among the rubble in the Amsalems’ apartment were two hand-shaped wall ornaments bearing Hebrew blessings for the home, like a charm.
Despite the deaths, neighbors expressed support for the Israeli offensive and anger against Hamas, the Islamic group that controls the Palestinian coastal enclave.Despite the deaths, neighbors expressed support for the Israeli offensive and anger against Hamas, the Islamic group that controls the Palestinian coastal enclave.
“The Gaza people chose Hamas,” said Gadi Mamon, 37, a teacher who lives in a building nearby. “They are not innocent. We are the innocents. They are strong enough to hit a baby but not soldiers.”“The Gaza people chose Hamas,” said Gadi Mamon, 37, a teacher who lives in a building nearby. “They are not innocent. We are the innocents. They are strong enough to hit a baby but not soldiers.”
In Sderot, the rocket-battered town closest to the Gaza border, Itzik Biton, who runs a falafel stand, felt emboldened by the military action.In Sderot, the rocket-battered town closest to the Gaza border, Itzik Biton, who runs a falafel stand, felt emboldened by the military action.
“We are with our prime minister,” he said. The Hamas leaders “all run into bunkers, a sign of weakness,” he said between incoming rocket alerts, crouching at the back of the store by a refrigerator of soft drinks as rockets slammed into the town. “We do not show weakness.”“We are with our prime minister,” he said. The Hamas leaders “all run into bunkers, a sign of weakness,” he said between incoming rocket alerts, crouching at the back of the store by a refrigerator of soft drinks as rockets slammed into the town. “We do not show weakness.”