Boy of eight wounded in Gaza rocket attack

Published on Saturday 9 February 2008 21:57

AN eight-year-old child was seriously wounded yesterday when a rocket from Gaza slammed into the centre of the Israeli border town of Sderot.

The boy's legs were at least partially severed by the explosion, Israeli Army Radio reported. His 19-year-old brother was also wounded.

A medic said: "I found two injured people, one boy very seriously wounded in the legs."

The mother and another brother were taken to hospital suffering shock.

Israel threatened retaliation. "We will take resolute and decisive measures to protect our citizens," government spokesman David Baker said. "We will not allow Israeli families to be victimised by Palestinian rockets in the heart of their own cities."

The militant Islamic Jihad group claimed responsibility for firing two rockets toward Sderot around the time of the attack. Two rockets had fallen earlier in the day, but caused no damage or injuries.

Gaza militants had vowed to persist in their attacks despite an Israeli cutback in the power supply to the coastal territory that was meant to pressure the 1.4 million Palestinians there to get their Hamas rulers to stop the launchings.

The Israeli army and government have been reluctant to launch a large military campaign against the rocket operation for fear both soldiers and Palestinian civilians would suffer scores of casualties. But analysts have said any serious rocket attacks will put great pressure on political leaders to approve such an operation.

Twelve Israelis have been killed by the rockets in the past six years.