Israeli authorities partially evacuated a southern town that has suffered heavy Palestinian shelling.
Approximately 250 families were transported from Sderot to a military leisure center in Givat Olga on Thursday, part of a government program to relieve pressure on the town amid a surge of rocket salvoes from the nearby Gaza Strip.
Government officials described the evacuations as a temporary “refreshment” for a select group of needy townspeople rather than a mass flight in the face of a 6-year-old rocket threat that Israel has not managed to stem.
Hundreds of residents of Sderot, a town of 23,000, left earlier this week for temporary lodgings provided by Israeli volunteer groups and Arkady Gaydamak, a Russian emigre billionaire.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
