Hundreds of children from Ofakim arrive for a day of fun at the Ice Festival in Jerusalem, after a week under the threat of rockets.
By Elad Benari
First Publish: 3/15/2012, 7:47 AM
Jerusalem Ice Festival
Israel news photo: Flash 90
Hundreds of children from the city of Ofakim in southern Israel, which has been under the threat of missile attacks for the past week, arrived on Wednesday for a day of fun at the Ice Festival in Jerusalem.
Ofakim is located about 20 kilometers west of Be’er Sheva. The schools in the city were closed this past week,as were schools in many other communities in the south, as Gaza terrorists fired more than 200 rockets over a period of four days.
During their visit to the Ice Festival, which opened to visitors last week, the children viewed the many spectacular ice exhibits, had fun on the ice slides and were photographed alongside ice sculptures of the beloved heroes of well-known children's tales.
The children arrived in the capital by buses, paid for by the Isracard credit cardcompany, and were received by Zion Turgeman, director of the Ariel company which runs the Ice Festival. Turgeman greeted the children with hot chocolate, clowns and magicians. At the conclusion of the visit, the children enjoyed a light meal.
According to Turgeman, “We were pleased to have the opportunity to take the children for a few hours of fun after the hard week they went through. I hope that their visit to the Ice Festival distracted their minds for a little while and gave them a few hours of joy and fun without fear. I would like to strengthen the hands of the people of the south.”
Meanwhile, the rocket fire continued on Wednesday, despite the Cairo-brokered ceasefire between Israel and terrorists in Gaza.
At least two Grad missiles were fired towards the city of Be’er Sheva on Wednesday evening. One of the missiles was intercepted by the Iron Dome anti-missile battery.
The battery failed to intercept a second Grad on the same trajectory, which fell short and landed in an open field outside of Be’er Sheva. No physical injuries were reportedin the attack.
A Grad-type missile also hit a residential area in the southern town of Netivot late Tuesday. One person was lightly wounded.
The Netivot attack was followed up by twin IAF airstrikes on rocket launching cells in reprisal. The IAF reported direct hits in both cases.
On Wednesday night, IAF aircraft struck a rocket launching site in northern Gaza and a terror tunnel in southern Gaza.
Ofakim is located about 20 kilometers west of Be’er Sheva. The schools in the city were closed this past week,as were schools in many other communities in the south, as Gaza terrorists fired more than 200 rockets over a period of four days.
During their visit to the Ice Festival, which opened to visitors last week, the children viewed the many spectacular ice exhibits, had fun on the ice slides and were photographed alongside ice sculptures of the beloved heroes of well-known children's tales.
The children arrived in the capital by buses, paid for by the Isracard credit cardcompany, and were received by Zion Turgeman, director of the Ariel company which runs the Ice Festival. Turgeman greeted the children with hot chocolate, clowns and magicians. At the conclusion of the visit, the children enjoyed a light meal.
According to Turgeman, “We were pleased to have the opportunity to take the children for a few hours of fun after the hard week they went through. I hope that their visit to the Ice Festival distracted their minds for a little while and gave them a few hours of joy and fun without fear. I would like to strengthen the hands of the people of the south.”
Meanwhile, the rocket fire continued on Wednesday, despite the Cairo-brokered ceasefire between Israel and terrorists in Gaza.
At least two Grad missiles were fired towards the city of Be’er Sheva on Wednesday evening. One of the missiles was intercepted by the Iron Dome anti-missile battery.
The battery failed to intercept a second Grad on the same trajectory, which fell short and landed in an open field outside of Be’er Sheva. No physical injuries were reportedin the attack.
A Grad-type missile also hit a residential area in the southern town of Netivot late Tuesday. One person was lightly wounded.
The Netivot attack was followed up by twin IAF airstrikes on rocket launching cells in reprisal. The IAF reported direct hits in both cases.
On Wednesday night, IAF aircraft struck a rocket launching site in northern Gaza and a terror tunnel in southern Gaza.
