Story By: Michael Leidig,Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News

A mum in Israel has posted this image of her five-year-old daughter appearing to cower in terror as rockets are fired near their border home reportedly by the Palestinian resistance group ‘Islamic Jihad’ from the Gaza Strip.

Sderot is in Israel and is less than a mile from the Gaza Strip.

The strip – governed by Hamas since 2005 – is currently under a widely condemned air, land and sea blockade by Israel and is home to a number of violent groups who claim to resist it by firing rockets and missiles towards the Israeli state.

Most of these rockets are intercepted by Israel’s ‘Iron Dome’ defence system and Israel regularly conducts airstrikes in the densely populated area in retaliation.

The recent attacks have widely been blamed on the Islamic Jihad militant group, according to local media.

Mum Sara Dahan said that whenever the sirens came, her little daughter curls up into a ball terrified that their home might be struck.

She said: “You could say she was born into this situation. It breaks you. It’s not an easy thing to see your daughter fall apart like that and cry. There’s not a lot I can do. Just hold her, reassure her, explain that mommy is here, that mummy is keeping her safe.”

Sara, who is 22 and a single mother, said the picture was taken by her niece when the family had rushed into the protected cellar built in all homes to provide safety in the event of being hit by a rocket.

In a posting on the picture she said: “My daughter! My own personal joy! The little girl who I promised to protect froze in place and simply would not move even though she was in the shielded room.

“Her whole body shook, she locked up on the floor and didn’t move, with her hands on her head. My girl, I’m so sorry you need to go through this.”

Elraz Azran, 42, who owns a restaurant said: “Last Friday, there were rocket barrages. I opened up on Saturday night. My workers came in, and for hours the cafe was empty except for one person.

“It’s tremendous, ongoing financial damage. I’m not complaining about the residents. They’re afraid to leave their homes, with good reason. And afraid for their kids. It’s not only the Color Red alerts that scare them, it’s also the Iron Dome interceptions.”

He was speaking about the fact that on Friday 10 rockets were fired into Israel from the Gaza Strip in two barrages. The Iron Dome system intercepted most of the projectiles, but one slammed into a house in Sderot, causing damage.

Sara said: “Ever since one of the sirens caught us in the street it’s been happening to her. She simply lies down on the floor, puts her hands over her head, shakes and mumbles words even I don’t understand.

“She just pulls her shoulder away and won’t let anyone talk to her. It’s been like this for a month, a month and a half.”

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