Miracle ?...

'We can't rely on MIRACLES'

Eshkol Regional Council head Haim Yalin said the protected spaces proved themselves. "They really save lives. What happened here this morning is something which we unfortunately call an emergency routine. These are not Purim detonators, but mortar shells.

"So we've managed to seize a ship, but who knows how much they have already smuggled into the Strip. The communities' emergency squads did their job and the residents remained in protected spaces."

Drorit, whose home was hit in the attack, told Ynet she was playing a computer game when the first mortar shell landed near her house. "I immediately ran to my elderly neighbor. We were running into the sheltered space when the second mortar landed. It hit the fortified room."

She said she was not afraid. "We are used to such incidents. It's become a routine."

Dafna, who lives in the community hit by most of the mortars, recounted the attack: "We were having breakfast and heard explosions, one after the other. I ran into the sheltered room with my six-year-old son. I waited to be able to come out and then checked the damage.

"My eldest son's house was hit, but luckily he left the kibbutz. This isn't a new situation, but we got a serious reminder today. We leave in fear and try to cope."

Shlomo, who also lives in the western Negev, said Saturday's incident brought back memories from Operation Cast Lead. "We can't rely on miracles. The State must intervene and solve this problem. The residents are living between wars and we will likely pay the price.

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