The past twenty-four hours have been quite tense and stressful for the residents of Sderot and other southern Israeli towns. Thirty rockets from terrorists in Gaza have been fired at us and the surrounding cities. One hit an apartment building, another damaged an empty school in Ashdod. The rest have landed in open areas.

Two people were originally reported moderately injured, two lightly injured and thirteen were suffering from shock and untold numbers of people have and will suffer from traumatic stress syndrome as the 30 rockets hit. Since the initial report, one of the moderately injured people has died from his wounds.

Police have raised the level of alert across the country to the second highest level following the escalation in violence along the border with Gaza. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, said Saturday following the barrage of rockets that hit southern Israel, “We are not seeking confrontation with the Palestinians.”We don’t want an escalation of the situation,” he continued, “But will not accept barrage after barrage without a response.”

Schools in the area are scheduled to be closed as well as the college in Be’er Sheba due to this current escalation.

Not only is The Al-Quds Brigades in Gaza taking responsibility for the current escalation but Hamas is now accusing Israel of instigating the escalation so the balance of the Gilad Shalit prisoner swap can be postponed or even nullified; ruining their celebration.

Even with the Egyptian brokered cease fire scheduled to go into effect at 6:00 a.m. Sunday, the Al-Quds Brigades terrorist were launching last minute rockets at 5:04 a.m. Conflicting reports about this current cease fire followed.

Egyptian officials say efforts to persuade Palestinian militants in Gaza to hold their rocket fire on Israel have failed, after a day of deadly, escalated violence. The officials say they tried to arrange an earlier cease-fire set at 3 a.m. Sunday, but did not win agreement from factions responsible for the rocket attacks.

By 6:40 a.m.; forty minutes after the on again off again cease fire was to go into effect a total of 39 rockets were fired within a twenty four hour period. That comes out to one every thirty seven minutes. Less than eight hours into the cease fire the rocket fire once again resumed.

I am thankful that the construction on the bomb shelter for my house has once again picked up after a month long work stoppage for what ever reasons. In the past three work days the walls have been plastered, the tile floor laid and the connecting wall between the bomb shelter and my apartment has been opened.

With some plaster touch ups, a coat of paint, a window and some electric will be completed. We used it last night as “Tseva Adom” once again sounded here in Sderot to warn us of the incoming terrorist rocket attack.

Since the writing of this story on Sunday and the posting of it on Tuesday the attacks on us have continued; with many of the public school in the surrounding areas now closed for the fourth day… so much for the cease fire!.. so whats new?