Strengthening the Resiliency of Civilians in Southern Israel – Right Now, August 2011
August 29, 2011In the last 2 weeks alone over 100 rockets have been fired onto southern Israel.
12 pm, Thursday 18th August: 8 Israelis killed, more than 30 injured following a series of coordinated terrorist attacks in Eilat, near the Israeli-Egyptian border.
Friday morning, August 19th, 2011: A rocket fired at Ashdod this morning exploded in a haredi yeshiva left two critically injured, and more than 10 people moderately injured.
“Since last night, our Hotline has been working in emergency mode 24/7 as dozens of distressed calls come in” NATAL’s Hotline Manager
Saturday evening 20th August: 38-year-old Yossi Shoshan from Ofakim, dies from injuries after a Grad rocket directly struck a home in southern city of Be’er Sheva, 26 people are being treated for shock.
“I am very scared but I try not to show it, I try to be strong, but I am trembling…” Mother of 8 year old child, Ashkelon
Wednesday evening 24th August: A rocket fired at Ashkelon exploded near a house in a kibbutz in the Ashkelon region. A 9-month-old baby was hit by glass splinters and sustained light to moderate wounds.
NATAL’s Response
HOTLINE: 19th – 21st August showed an increase of 300% in callers to our Hotline. Most calls were received from 3 specific population sectors: 1) Parents and children, 2) Soldiers and parents of soldiers & 3) Civilians from southern communities.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH UNIT: The Unit continues to conduct home visits to families in the towns of Ofakim and Sderot and to work with distressed children from kindergartens to elementary schools at Kibbutzim surrounding Gaza.
PUBLIC AWARENESS: During this emergency, our toll-free Hotline is continuously displayed in the main Israeli news channels and interviews with our professionals are being broadcasted on TV. Yesterday, Channel 2 filmed NATAL’s Community Outreach Unit working in Ofakim.
NATAL is aware of the current escalation in violence, and is prepared for transition from routine activities to emergency mode, all across Israel.
