Local college student in Israel dodges rocket fire

BE'ER SHEVA, ISRAEL - A Parma woman hoping to earn a master's degree in Middle East Studies in Israel is getting a firsthand education into the deadly conflict between Israel and Gaza.

Christina Paschyn is studying at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Earlier this week Paschyn ran for cover as rockets from Gaza hit Be'er Sheva.

"You definitely hear (rocket's impact)," Paschyn said from Israel Thursday night. "And that one on the morning of December 31st, you could feel the ground shaking a little bit.

"It didn't land in my dormitory," Paschyn said. "But it landed like a few blocks away. It was very close."

Increased rocket attacks from Gaza into neighboring Israel prompted Israeli airstrikes over the last seven days. Four Israelis have been killed. The U-N estimates that more than 300 Palestinians have died.

Gaza is home to more than one million Palestinans. Hamas, an Islamic militant faction is also one of the two main Palestinian political groups. A senior leader in Hamas was killed Thursday.

Paschyn has fled Be'er Sheva. But she is still in Israel hoping that a diplomatic solution to end the attacks and airstrikes will be reached.

Despite ongoing air assaults and troops massed on Gaza's border, Israel has kept the way open for intense efforts by leaders in the Middle East and Europe to arrange a cease-fire.

Israel also said it would consider a halt to fighting if international monitors were brought in to track compliance with any truce.