Train service to Sderot suspended for fear of anti-tank fire

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's declared aim for Operation Protective Edge was to achieve a sustainable quiet in the south. But the residents of southern Israel will not enjoy one day of peace.

The Israeli security establishment is concerned that resistance groups in Gaza may target trains servicing Sderot with anti-tank missiles and thus has ordered the train line suspended until further notice.

Israel Railways announced that train service between Ashkelon and Sderot would be suspended for fear of an attack on trains in parts near the border with the Strip.

The decision to shut down the line until further notice differs from previous such directives – not only because it was announced during a ceasefire – but because the 'Defense' (war) Ministry directed the company to fortify the line against anti-tank fire.

For the third time in two weeks, the Israeli public and Gaza-border residents wait with bated breath for the end of the ceasefire – while no government official has provided any answer for what the future holds.