Since this round of rocket attacks began against Israel, the average Israeli citizen has asked a simple and straightforward question, “Why is Israel still supply Gaza with electricity as they fire rockets upon us?”

The situation is quite surreal, especially since Gaza (or the Palestinian Authority) still hasn’t paid its electric bill.

Israelis understand that at some point the Gazan population would quite possibly demand or force Hamas to stop shooting rockets at Israel, if presented with the right combination of non-lethal incentives.

There are reports that PM Netanyahu killed the idea, saying the lawyers won’t permit it.

Well, what Netanyahu isn’t prepared to do, Hamas will do for him.

70,000 Gazans in Khan Younis and Dir Elbalach are now without electricity after a misfired Hamas rocket landed in Kissufim and knocked out the primary electric wires to their area.

It will be an interesting experiment to see who blinks first.

Will Israel fix the high tension overhead power cables or allow Hamas to fix them, or will Hamas be forced to stop firing when the its population begins to revolt after days and perhaps even weeks without electricity?

We’ll wait and see.

Update: PM Netanyahu spoke with Israel Electric Company (IEC) head Yiftach Ron-Tal, and told him he should not risk the lives of any electric company employees to fix the power lines.

As a result, the IEC has made a decision to fix the power cables, but not at this moment, as with the rockets flying down, its too dangerous to send workers there. When it is safer, they will go there and fix the problem.

Yesterday, one of our bloggers, Jameel@Muqata, asked the not so rhetorical question… should the IDF intercept a Hamas rocket that is going to their own citizens in Palestinian Authority controlled areas.

This evening, on Shabbat, at 6:57pm, multiple rockets were launched at the Gush Etzion area.

The IDF confirms that two Hamas rockets hit inside Palestinian Authority controlled cities.

One Hamas rocket hit in Bethlehem, the other in Hebron.

Hebron is a Hamas stronghold in Judea.

No reports yet if Abbas will file a complaint with the UN.

11:35 pm Iron Dome Intercepts. Residents hear 10 explosions overhead in Ashdod.

40 rockets launched at Israel in latest Gaza barrage.

11:29 pm Kiryat Gat, Kiryat Malachi, Eshkol, Beer Tuvia, Hof Ashkelon, Yoav, Lachish, Shafir

11:26 pm Ashdod – sirens. And previous list again for a 2nd round.

11:22 pm Multiple sirens: Kiryat Malachi, Beer Tuvia, Yoav region, Ashkelon, Asdhod Region, Bnei Shimon region.

11:01 pm Red Alert Kiryat Malachi, Hof Ashkelon, Yoav, Lachish, Shafir, Eshkol

10:57pm Red Alert Netivot, Kiryat Malachi, Eshkol, Beer Tuvia, Bnei Shimon, Yoac, Sdot Negev, Shafir

9:58pm Another attempted infiltration into Zikim via the sea by 2 terrorists. These Hamas guys never learn. 2 terrorists dead. IDF says event is still ongoing, as searches continue.

9:57pm Red alert Yad Mordechai Erez

8:59pm IDF Spox; We will be increasing our strikes on Gaza in the coming hours.

8:05 PM Gush Dan, Beit Hana, Ness Tziona and surroundings … Yavneh Givat Brenner, Rehovot…

8:00pm Ashkelon

7:46pm Yerucham and Dimona Color… Ramat Negev, Be’er Milka Regional Council
7 rockets at Dimona. 3 taken down by Iron Dome.

7:35pm Rocket hit near kindergarten in Shaar HaNegev. Another building hit. Second in an open area.

7:26pm Comment: A reader (or two) complained about our joke in the email blast connected to this update.

Thank you for understanding, and it won’t happen again.

7:12pm Sderot, Sha’ar Hanegev

7:09pm Ashkekon. Iron Dome

7:05pm Ashkekon, Karmiya, Hof Ashkelon

6:55pm Hof Ashkelon and Shaar Hanegev

6:21pm Sdot Negev, Shaar Negev. 4 mortars. No injuries.

6:05pm Channel 2 reports a rocket was launched at Israel from the Sinai. No injuries reported.

6:01 PM Ofakim, Eshkol , Sdot Negev

5:40pm Red Alert Metar Rahat Eshkol, Al Kasum, Bnei Shimon, Har Hebron x3

5:10pm Iron Dome x2 Gush Dan Region

5:01pm Sirens in Bnei Shimon Region

4:39pm Red Alert Eshkol, Beer Tuvia, Yoav, Lachish, Mateh Yehuda, Shafir, Beit Gubrin, Aderet, Harel, Neve Shalom, Sderot

JM Police: Mateh Yehuda – Iron Dome fired. No damage or injuries reported.

4:12pm Sirens in Bnei Shimon and Merchavim regions, Ofakim.

4:03pm Color Red alerts in Ashkelon and Hof Ashkelon areas.

2:45pm Color Red alert in Netiv Ha’Asara and Erez

2:33pm Missile explosions in Soreq area

2:30pm Color Red alert in Zichron Yaakov and surrounds

2:24pm Color Red alert in Or Akiva, Binyamina, Bat Shlomo, Pardes, Caesaerea

2:17pm Color Red alert in Sderot, Giv’im, Sha’ar Am

1:18pm Color Red rocket alerts in Sederot and Shaar HaNegev regions.

12:39pm Yad Mordechai and Netiv Ha’Asara, Ashkelon Coastal Region Color Red alert

12:25pm Color Red alert Ein Hashlosha

12:23pm Color Red Alerts in Eshkol region

12:10pm Color Red alerts in Hof Ashkelon, Lachish and Shaar HaNegev regions.

11:59am IDF reports that anti aircraft weapons have fired at IAF jets from Gaza during the operation so far.

11:57am Barrage to Kirya Malachi, Nir Banim, Segula, Lachish Beer Tuvia, Yoav region, Gedera, Yad Binyamin, Soreq, Ashdod

10:58am Israel hit terrorist: Abdallah Difalla in his car in northern Gaza. Direct hit while he was riding his motorcycle. He is one of those responsible for Hamas for rocket attacks on Israel.

10:02am Sirens in Ashdod and surrounding areas

9:18am Two rockets explode in Eshkol region

9:04am Shrapnel discovered in Shfela region

9:03am Reports of sirens in Ofakim….

8;59am Color Red alerts in Ashkelon

8:51am Gaza border towns

8:41am Sirens in Tel Aviv. Multiple Iron Dome intercepts.

8:38am Travellers at Ben Gurion airport have been moved to safe locations….

8:36am Unconfirmed reports of at least 5 Iron Dome intercepts.

8:35am Sirens reported in Modiin.

8:31am SIRENS in Ashdod. x2

8:30am SIRENS IN GREATER TEL AVIV AND ASHDOD.

8:19am Color Red rocket alerts….Shaar HaNegev and Eshkol regions

8:01am Color red in ashkelon and eshkol regions

8:00am Good morning. This rocket update will be updates soon with the overnight attacks (if there’s time). We’re just recuperating from the busy night, last night.

Ben-Gurion Airport – Despite the deteriorating security situation, 64 new immigrants from the United States made aliyah to Israel today. The new Israelis hail from Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Virginia, and range in age from eight months to 92 years.

Lottie Herman, the oldest member of the group, fled Germany to America in 1939. She will be settling in Jerusalem.

Another olah chadasha (new immigrant), 26-year-old Becky Kupchan, said she was moving from her native Chicago to Beer Sheva, the capital city of the Negev.

“Although the security situation in Israel is very tense right now, and in Beer Sheva where I’m about to move rockets are falling, I am not afraid. I trust the Israeli government and the IDF,” said Kupchan, after she arrived at Ben-Gurion Airport. “I’m a Jew and I’ve always dreamed about making Aliyah to Israel, my home — and at home you always feel safe.”

“The Olim who’ve chosen to make Aliya to Israel during these challenging days are real heroes, and each one of them fills our heart with pride and great inspiration,” said Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Nefesh B’Nefesh. “Becky from Chicago, who has chosen to live in the city of Beer Sheva in the South, is one of them and we will do whatever we can to assist her in her new home in the State of Israel.”

Tuesday’s group aliyah was made in partnership with the Ministry of Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption, the Jewish Agency for Israel, KKL and JNF-USA, and Nefesh B’Nefesh.

According to Nefesh B’Nefesh 97% of its olim have remained in Israel thanks to its support programs and comprehensive social services to more than 38,000 newcomers.

The new Israeli citizens will be moving to Beit Shemesh, Givat Shmuel, Hadera, Jerusalem, Karmiel, Modiin, Nes Tziona, Ra’anana, Ramat Beit Shemesh, Ramat Gan, Tel Aviv and Beer Sheva.

JERUSALEM – For the first time a rocket has been fired from Gaza at the northern town of Hadera, which is situated 100 km (62 miles) away from the Gaza Strip. Hadera is north of Netanya and Tel Aviv, and south of Zichron Yaakov and Haifa.

A short while before that a rocket fired from Gaza hit Israel’s capital city, Jerusalem. A rock concert with some 6,000 participants was surprised by the attack, the concert was immediately stopped and all were dispersed.

Tel Aviv was also attacked by rockets, and within the three hours, the sirens sounded multiple times in Tel Aviv. As a result of the attack the US embassy in Tel Aviv has issued a warning to US citizens in Israel.

The US Embassy will operate at minimal staffing until further notice.

US Embassy personnel will not be allowed to travel south of Tel Aviv without prior approval.

Embassy families living in Tel Aviv are being advised to remain at home and in close contact with one another. “Recent events underscore the importance of situational awareness. We remind you to be aware of your surroundings at all times, to monitor the media, and to follow directions of emergency responders,” the notice stated. Since the beginning of Operation Protective Edge, about 160 rockets have been fired at Israel. 116 of them hit Israel and 29 were intercepted.

During the previous day Gaza terrorists fired approximately 80 rockets at Israel. The IDF has targeted 270 terror sites across the Gaza Strip. 5 senior Hamas operatives, 10 terror tunnels, 98 concealed rocket launchers, and 18 weapon storage and manufacturing facilities have been targeted. Of the weapon storage facilities, 5 of them were located inside mosques.

By Ariella Segal / Tazpit News Agency Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon declared today ‘A Special State of Alert in the Home Front’ in communities and Councils that are within a 40 km range from the border with the Gaza Strip. Ya’alon declared the special state after concluding deliberations with the Home Front Commander General Eyal Eizenberg, CEO of the Defense Ministry Dan Har’el and Head of the National Emergency Authority, and in light of the latest developments in the confrontation with Hamas.

During the deliberations Ya’alon stated:

“We are preparing for a campaign against Hamas that will not end within a few days. Hamas is leading this current clash with an objective of taking a toll on our civilian population. There is need for endurance. Correct behavior of the population, including following the instructions of the Home Front Command regarding the entrance into sheltered spaces, have a crucial role if we wish to avoid casualties. In the last hours we have been intensely attacked and have attacked tens of Hamas assets.

The IDF continues with its offensive efforts that will make Hamas pay a very heavy price. We will not tolerate the shooting of rockets and missiles at Israeli communities and we are prepared to extend this campaign with every means at our disposal in order to continue to strike Hamas. I would like to strengthen the residents of the south, the Mayors and the Councils, who demonstrate leadership and responsibility and are helping us continue the offensive effort”.

Military sources have indicated that it is possible that Hamas will expand the range of attacks against Israel, and could possibly target Tel Aviv and other cities in central Israel. The current situation has prompted the Security Cabinet to launch Operation ‘Protective Edge’, during which the IDF has targeted some 50 terror targets in Gaza overnight, including the homes of four Hamas terror leaders.

Since January of this year, Gaza terrorists have fired more than 450 rockets towards Israeli citizens in communities across southern Israel according to the IDF spokesperson. Over 200 of those rockets have been fired from Gaza since June 12, the day on which three Israeli teens were abducted and murdered by Hamas terrorists.

At least 80 rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip at Israel within 24 hours on Monday, July 27, with air raid sirens sounding throughout Monday night in southern Israel including the city of Ofakim and the Merhavim region. According to the IDF, 11 of the 80 rockets were shot down by Iron Dome system. The IDF spokesperson also stated that Hamas was responsible for launching a large majority of the rockets.

Thousands of Israelis in the south spent the night in bomb shelters. A number of Israeli radio stations from Tel Aviv and central Israel to Beer Sheva, Ashkelon, Ashdod and even the Arava region broadcasted the rocket sirens overnight. This way, people who chose to sleep in their own beds instead of protected rooms were able to sleep in between the warning sirens and running for shelter.

A Hamas twitter account stated that the “mission” of the rockets was to shatter the calm and security of Israelis in retaliation to Israel targeting terrorist infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.

Over 25 rockets targeted Israeli communities along the Gaza border on Sunday July 6, striking Hof Ashkelon Regional Council, the Sha’ar Hanegev Regional Council and Sderot.

The Gaza rockets have injured Israelis, damaging homes, property and cars including a nursery room in Sderot on July 3 and burned down two factories to the ground in Sderot on June 28.

Palestinian terrorists have also carried out cross-border attacks from Gaza with a terrorist armed with a grenade infiltrating an Israeli village on June 22.

Meanwhile, the IDF Home Front Command announced on Monday that all summer camps and school-related activities including tests held at schools located within 40 kilometers of the Gaza Strip would be cancelled due to the threat of rocket fire. In addition, the IDF Home Front Command also limited groups of people gathering in the region to no more than 300 people at a time.

Yaakov Amidror, the National Security Adviser to the Israeli Prime Minister stated that Hamas holds “about 10,000 rockets” and told Israel Channel 2 that Israelis “may be in for many more nights of rocket attacks but Hamas “does not have any kind of game-changing Doomsday weapon.”

The Israeli Air Force has struck multiple terror targets in the Gaza Strip early Tuesday morning since the IDF announced the launching of Operation Protective Edge (“Tzuk Eitan” in Hebrew). The IDF spokesperson stated the early hours of Tuesday morning that “the IDF has commenced Operation Protective Edge in Gaza against Hamas in order to stop the terror that Israel’s citizens face on a daily basis and to restore quiet to Israel’s border.”