Soldiers carry a wounded colleague from a helicopter after arriving at Barzilai Hospital in the coastal city of Ashkelon, early Tuesday. Wounded soldier's face blacked out intentionally.
Photo: AP

Monday night's rocket struck inside the Zikim military base, located one kilometer north of the Gaza Strip, at approximately 1:30 a.m. The Kassam landed next to a tent in which a group of soldiers were sleeping. Another rocket, which landed in an open area in the western Negev, caused no casualties.

The severity of wounds received by the troops varied, most of them lightly wounded. At least 30 soldiers were wounded from the impact of the explosion or by shrapnel; the remainder was suffering from shock. The victims include both male and female soldiers.

All of the wounded were evacuated to Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon, Soroka Hospital in Beersheba and Sheba Hospital in Tel Hashomer. By 6 a.m., 21 of the soldiers evacuated to hospital overnight were discharged.

Barzilai Hospital opened a hotline following the attack. The public is invited to call 1255171 for information.

Thirty ambulances were alerted to the scene, south of Ashkleon, where they are accompanied by two helicopters responsible for evacuating the wounded.

Two Palestinian groups claimed responsibility for the attack - the Nasr Salah al-Din Brigades, the Palestinian Resistance Committee's armed wing, and the Islamic Jihad. A spokesman for the Islamic Jihad said the firing of the Kassam rockets was a response to IDF action in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip of late.

The IDF, who confirmed the attack, said that the rockets were fired from Beit Hanun.