Classes in southern schools cancelled despite relative calm

3 projectiles fired from Gaza land near Ashkelon, none injured; authorities in Beersheba, Ashdod, Ashkelon and Gan Yavne decide to cancel school despite IDF removing restrictions on public gatherings.

By JPOST.COM STAFF, YAAKOV LAPPIN
Police officiers remove the remains of a Grad rocket 311 (R) (photo credit: REUTERS/Amir Cohen)
Police officiers remove the remains of a Grad rocket 311 (R)
(photo credit: REUTERS/Amir Cohen)
Despite reports of a cease fire, municipal officials in Ashdod, Ashkelon, Beersheba and Gan Yavne decided to take no chances against a threat of rocket attacks and canceled all schools in their districts. With the exception of Ashkelon, Monay will be the second day in a row in which schoolchildren in the South will remain at home because of the security situation.
The decision to close schools was taken against the advice of the Home Front Command, which advised southern communities that schools could be reopened. The decision signaled the lack of faith local leaders placed in claims that the situation was heading towards calm.
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Classes at Ben Gurion University will take place as usual on Monday.
Meanwhile, two projectiles were fired from Gaza at the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council, south of Ashkelon on Sunday evening, triggering air raid sirens. The rockets fell in open territory and failed to cause injuries or damages. A third rocket targeted the same area on Sunday night.
Earlier on Sunday, the IDF identified a rocket launching cell in the southern Gaza Strip as terrorists were preparing to launch a rocket toward Israel, despite a reported cease fire with Islamic Jihad. IAF planes struck the cell, preventing the rocket from being launched.
Islamic Jihad, which has taken responsibility for the majority of some 39 rockets fired at Israel from the Strip in the past 24 hours, said late Sunday morning that it was committed to a cease fire agreement, although it asserted the right to respond to any Israeli attacks, Palestinian news agency Ma'an reported.