WED 9:00AM IL: According to city engineer Shimon Azrieli, sirens were heard in Netivot at 8:05am Wednesday morning, signaling an escalation in rocket attacks from Gaza, landing deeper into southern Israel.

The rockets landed outside of the city limits and authorities report there was no damage. In Netivot, unlike the Sderot area, there is no Color Red warning, which is intended to be less frightening, but air raid sirens, and the howl of the increasing and decreasing wail was heard.

Elsewhere in Wednesday morning attacks, a kibbutz home sustained a direct hit, with a rocket tearing through the roof of a home. Baruch Hashem, the residents who were home at the time of the attack, did not sustain physical injuries.

Damage was reported to homes in Ashkelon as well. Mayor Benny Vaknin reports that what landed in Ashkelon was not a Kassam rocket, but a longer range Grad Katyusha rocket carrying about an 8kg explosive head. He stated the same holds true for Netivot. Mayor Vaknin points out that only Hamas has Katyusha rockets, not the other terror organizations and the attacks are intended to continue pushing Israel.

In many cases, for security reasons, the media is requested not to publish the exact impact location of rockets since this information would be helpful to terrorists as they work to learn coordinates for future attacks.

Gaza crossings will remain closed on Wednesday despite a decision on Tuesday night to permit humanitarian aid via the Karni and Kerem Shalom Crossings, including trucks sent by the wife of Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak.  Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) reports the trucks from Mrs. Mubarak are scheduled to enter via Rafiach and it is uncertain if Israel will permit them to enter. (Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)