It’s a day like any other for Rabbi Salomon and his wife, or almost.

The alarm warning that a Palestinian missile is about to hit Ashkelon just went off. Arie Salomon and his wife run to their underground shelter.

Only yesterday, the Salomons came close to death. A Palestinian missile hit the wall just outside their house. Rabbi Arie shows us the damage on the top floor. He says he has no intention to move out and leave Ashkelon, just 15 kilometers from the Gaza Strip.

People in Ashkelon, Southern Israel, live in constant fear of rocket attacks by Palestinian militants. Since the start of the offensive in Gaza, schools have been closed and children spend days on end in shelters.

Four-year-old Asaf has a clear idea of who is behind the rocket attacks: “Arabs”

People here fully back Israel’s military operation in Gaza.

North of Ashkelon, yet another Palestinian missile hit Gedera, 40 km away from Gaza. People are in shock. A baby was lightly hurt and there is material damage. Everybody says they want an end to Hamas rocket fire.

“Hamas militants hide in the midst of children. They do it on purpose so that they won’t get hurt or killed but sometimes we have no other choice but to strike. We don’t want to kill Palestinians or little children but Hamas is there and its militants must be killed”, says a merchant working in Gedera.