Day 5 of the War, Dec 31 2008

Day 5 of the Gaza war, Wednesday Dec. 31 2008 -- Daily sticky post, constantly updated.

More liveblogging at IsraellyCool and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/muqata Keyword #GazaWar

Additional New posts from today can be found below this post.

As a general rule we will try and keep operational details to a minimum, that includes troop movements and the exact location of rocket hits. If items are reported in the Main Stream Israeli Media we will report them as well.

11:59 PM None injured in rocket attack on Beer Sheva.

This concludes Day 5 of Gaza's War on Israel. LiveBlogging will resume early tomorrow morning or earlier, depending on the severity or news-worthiness of what's going on.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Muqata Staff who has been tirelessly updating the blog and twitter feeds (and to our families who put up with this).

Thanks to all those who have sent heart-warming emails, expressing your support for Israel. We can be reached at muqata @ gmail . com

Wishing you all a good night from Israel,

Jameel @ Crew
The Muqata

11:56 PM Rescue personnel continue the search for wounded in Beer Sheva...after several rocekt strikes.

11:43 PM While some Israeli news sites are reporting exact locations of where rockets land, the Muqata blog will continue to only provide approximate locations of actual rocket strikes. Palestinians are monitoring the Israeli websites to determine exactly where the rockets have landed, to help calibrate their next launches.

11:42 PM Reports of 3-4 explosions in Beer Sheva and surrounding areas.

11:41 PM Explosion heard in Beer Sheva. Emergency Forces Responding.

11:39 PM Air Raid Sirens in Western Negev and Beer Sheva.

11:37 PM No injuries reported in Western Negev (from 11:29 PM report)

11:31 PM Gazan Leader Issmael Haneeyeh announces on Hamas TV tonight: "The Palestinian Victory over Israel is closer than you think." Reminds me of the Iraqi Information Minister (AKA 'Baghdad Bob'). [Source, Haaretz in Hebrew]

11:30 PM Explosion heard in Ashdod was New Year "fireworks" -- no injuries/damage.

11:29 PM Explosions heard in Ashdod and Western Negev. Emergency Personnel resonding.

11:19 PM Gazans report that IAF warplanes have been destroying targets in Gaza over the past hour, hitting rocket manufacturing buildings in Han Yunis, Jebaliya, and Beit Lahiya.

11:18 PM Palestinians throw molotov cocktail at Jewish motorist in Shomron/West Bank. The car caught fire and is going up in flames. The motorist managed to escape his car before it was consumed by fire.

Jameel adds: That could have been me -- I drove past that exact location an hour ago.

11:01 PM Cost Analysis. Since the war started 5 days ago, over 300 claims have been filed by Israelis for reparations from the Israeli government for damages caused by Palestinian Rockets. The Israel Tax Authority's initial estimate of damage is 35 Million Shekel (9.25 Million Dollars) for the first 5 days of fighting. Israel reimburses its citizens for damages caused by acts of war or terror. (sourced from YNET in Hebrew)

10:45 PM IDF Spokesman releases video of the mosque bombing a few hours earlier.



10:44 PMOngoing rockets landing in Netivot, Nachal Oz, Ashkelon, Sederot and Beer Sheva over the past hour. No reports of injuries -- the vast majority of the rockets landed in open areas.

9:59 PM Rockets fall in Be'er Sheva

8:57 PM Security sources claim that word of a ground attack on Friday is pure speculation.

8:55 PM Reports that IDF has hit 25 strategic targets in Gaza since this morning.

8:54 PM Command center of the People's Front terror group destroy by Air Force.

8:19 PM Channel 2 News reports that ground troops will go in on Friday.

7:38 PM Channel 1 Israel TV reports that an IDF Gunboat opened fire on 2 suspicious rubber dinghies near Taba (Egypt), Red Sea (Eilat).

7:28 PM Molotov cocktail thrown at Jewish motorist in the Shomron (West Bank area). No injuries.

7:19 PM Destroyed Gazan smuggling tunnel (courtesy of an IAF jet...)



7:13 PM Rockets land in fields. No damage, no injuries

7:09 PM Air Raid Sirens in Western Negev communities.

7:04 PM Gaza war goes global. Arabs shoot Israelis in a Denmark shopping mall -2 wounded. Most reports are indicating that the shooters were Palestinians.

6:47 PM IDF spokesman announces that the Gazan Mosque which was attacked today was also used as a launching site for rockets against Israel.


(credit WWW.YOFFNER.COM)

6:42 PM War Update - Day 5.

Al Jazeera reports Gazan casualties as follows:

393 Dead
2000 Wounded

Other Arab sources state:

401 dead (of those, 62 civilians)
1950 wounded (of those, 210 seriously wounded)

6:22 PM Rockets hit Ashkelon, no reports of damage or injuries

6:02 PM Air Raid Sirens in the Northern 40 kilometer zone.

5:50 PM IDF Tank solider at Gaza's border takes a quick break to pray.


(source: Independent)

5:46 PM Sirens in Western Negev communities (first 10 kilometer region)

5:42 PM Reports that IAF jets bomb a Gaza Mosque. Reports of wounded. The mosque was used for storing Rockets to be used against Israel.

5:30 PM Watch this short 15 second video clip. 15 seconds is all you have from the start of the "Code Red" or air raid siren if you're in the 10 kilometer zone around Gaza...to run to a bomb shelter.



(petition if you want, is here.)
5:23 PM Jameel's updated map (In English) of the different danger zones around Gaza.
5:14PM Sirens in Be'er Sheva.

5:05PM Israeli family shot at by Palestinian in Denmark. Reports of 1-2 injured.

4:57PM Sirens in Sderot.

4:50PM In a surprising turn of events, major Pro-Israel protest at Tel-Aviv University, not known for its nationalist sympathies.

4:41PM Rockets fired in the direction of Ashkelon.

4:37 PM Unconfirmed rumors that Israel is giving large rewards to Gaza residents that give information that leads to the assassination of Hamas commanders.

4:29 PM Rocket lands in open areas in the Eshkol region.

4:23 PM Yuval Diskin, head of the G.S.S.(Shabak) claims Hamas terrorists are dressing up as doctors.

4:15 PM Reports coming in that Hamas is ready to hear options for a cease fire.

4:14 PM A total of 45 rockets today.

3:41PM Head of Egyptian Intelligence supported the operation in Gaza as a way to get Hamas out and "end the suffering in Gaza".

3:38 PM 4 rockets in the Eshkol Region, no injuries.

3:37PM Rocket falls near S'dot Negev, no injuries.

3:34 PM Air Force attacking the center of Gaza.

3:32 PM Arabs throwing rocks on the 443 road near the Makkabim Junction

3:12 PM More rockets on the way.

Mada (Magen David Adom) has raised its alert level countrywide. This is the first time ever in the history of the country.

2:30 PM IDF helicopters carry out targeted strike (assasination)

2:27 PM 4 Rockets hitting Ofakim.

2:01 PM Jerusalem Post has publicized that one of the rockets earlier today hit Route 6. (On a lighter note, Hamas may go bankrupt once Derech Eretz starts fining them for littering on their highway).

1:58 PM Police arrest 2 individuals in Jerusalem's Old City trying to force Arab vendors to stay closed as part of a Gaza protest.

1:37 PM Kasam rocket lands in S'dot Negev, damage reported but no injuries.

1:35 PM 2 Palestinian infants injured serious in Gaza brought into Israel for medical care.

1:34 PM Schools in Gaza area closed tomorrow also, most likely for the rest of the week.

1:33 PM 2 rockets over Netivot.

1:25PM BREAKING Rockets landing in Israel are of Chinese manufacture, transported by Iran, via Egypt/Sinai through tunnels under the Rafiach crossing into Gaza. (Confirmed by Army spokesman)
Additionally rockets are packed with ball bearings that spread up to 100M from rocket strike.

12:35PM The Security forces are claiming they have totally destroyed all the laboratories for the construction of rockets.

12:34 PM Rockets and mortar fire over Sha'ar HaNegev and Sderot, also to the North of the Strip.

12:27 PM Reports that Hezbollah is trying to get larger longer range missiles to Gaza. The Air Force has succeeded in destroying some in tunnels under Rafiach.

12:23 PM Sirens in Ashkelon. At least 2-3 explosions heard.

12:19 PM Destruction of smuggling tunnels by Rafiach causing serious damage to Hamas's abilities in Gaza (Arutz 10)

12:09 PM Reports of rockets over Ofakim.

12:07 PM Home Front command has forbidden all gatherings in Be'er Sheva.

12:05 PM Head of General Security Services (ShaBaK) states that Hamas terrorists are hiding in hospitals in Gaza, a clear violation of the Geneva convention.

12:00 PM A total of 30 rockets fired this morning. 2 lightly wounded.

11:57 AM Some analysis of the situation:

1. Bret Stephens - Hamas Knows One Big Thing - WSJ
2. Barry Rubin - Understanding the Gaza War - Pajamasmedia
3. Phyllis Chesler - Israel's Morality vs. Hamas's Morality - Pajamasmedia
4. Shannon Love - Diplomacy and Terrorism - Chicago Boyz
5. Palestinian Propaganda 101 - LAHawk
6. Michael Ledeen - The Battle of Gaza and the Real War - Pajamasmedia
7. JoeSettler - The War is Over - The Muqata Network


11:56 AM No injuries reported from 11:52 barrage.

11:55 AM Sirens in Western Negev Communities.

11:52 AM Rockets land in Western Negev area and Sederot.

11:49 AM IDF reports that Palestinians have started firing their longer range missiles from within heavily populated areas in Gaza, making it more challenging for IAF helicopters to hit them. Gedera area gets hit by Grad missile. No reports of injuries.

11:39 AM Alarms in Be'er Sheva.

11:37 AM Reports of rocket fire over Ofakim.

11:32 AM President Peres was in Ashkelon at the time of rocket hits, spent it in one of the bunkers in the city.

11:20 AM We reported yesterday about the pet dog of a firefighter wounded in a rocket attack in Sderot. Unfortunately the dog has died.


11:15 AM Pictures of the roof of high school hit by Grad/Katyusha rocket. The class room was empty due to school cancellation.

11:13 AM Two women being treated for shock in Ashkelon.

11:04 AM A second wounded individual in Ashkelon. Another rocket lands in area.

11:02 AM Unconfirmed reports of rocket near Gedera.

11:01 AM Reports of rocket landing in Yavneh. Update: Mayor of Yavneh denies this.

10:54 AM Rocket strikes #6 road. (Arutz 2)

10:53 AM Any discussion of a cease fire or break is baseless. (Army sources)

10:51 AM Another explosion heard near Ashkelon.

10:50 AM Rocket lands in Ashdod area.

10:47AM One woman injured lightly in Ashkelon. 3 rockets.

10:45 AM Under pouring rain, Sirens in Sderot and Ashkelon.

10:35 AM 2 rockets reported in Ashkelon.

10:33 AM Sirens in Ashkelon. 8 people treated for shock in Be'er Sheva.

10:16 AM Fire breaks out from rocket hit on hotel in Be'er Sheva. No injuries. UPDATE: The fire unrelated to rocket.

10:13 AM 40 Hamas sites hit over night in Gaza. Operations against the tunnel network under the Philadelphia route.

10:12 AM A total of 20 rockets fired into Israel this morning so far.

10:09 AM Grad/Katyusha lands in Be'er Sheva, no report of injuries.

10:06 AM Sirens at this moment in Be'er Sheva.

10:00 AM Rocket lands North East of Lachish in the Yoav region, ~40 Km. from Gaza.

9:57 AM Sirens in S'derot.

9:56 AM Problems with sirens in Be'er Sheva.

9:52 AM Helicopters hunting rocket launching sites over Gaza. Navy firing artillery at launch sites.

9:50 AM 1 of the Grad/Katyusha rockets in Be'er Sheva exploded in an empty classroom.

9:49 AM Office of Ismail Haniyah hit by Air Force.

9:46 AM Barrage of rockets over Be'er Sheva, reports of 4 rockets falling in the city. Also Chof Ashkelon and Eshkol.

9:42 AM Sirens also in Kiryat Gat.

9:40 AM A rocket that fell earlier in the Eshkol region caused damaged to cars in the area, no injuries.

9:33 AM 3 Rockets land in and around Ofakim. Sirens in Yavneh.

9:30 AM Alarms in Ofakim and Be'er Sheva. At least one rocket landed in Ofakim, no reports of injuries.

8:30 AM Rockets land in Be'er Sheva.

Brother of Shas Minister of Religious Affairs Yitzchak Cohen injured in rocket attack in Ashkelon.

Defense Minister Barak weighing cease fire. PM Olmert against.

7:17 AM Intenationl Children's Welfare Organization "UNICEF" issues statement of concern for children in Gaza, yet blatently ignores the situation for Israeli children (how about the Hamas rocket attack on a kindergarten in Beer Sheva yesterday?)

"UNICEF is deeply concerned about the impact of the current violence in
Gaza on children"

Its disappointing that they share no concern for the impact of the current violence in Southern Israel on children. (UNICEF)

6:04 AM (IsraelNN.com) Classes in Be'er Sheva, nearby Kibbutz Hatzerim and at Ben Gurion University have been cancelled for Wednesday following Tuesday night's Grad Katyusha attacks in the Negev capital.

5:45 AM Israel strikes smuggling tunnels and Hamas office.

5:43 AM A quiet night in Israel, but not so much in Gaza. Air Force and Navy units hit multiple targets throughout the Gaza Strip. Reports of hits on houses of Hamas leaders, government buildings and the Gaza Port. Olmert rejects any chance for a cease fire at this point.


Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד