Israelis are living in fear and shock following the sight of bloodied bodies lying in the streets and armed intrusions into their homes, along with reports of prisoners being transported to Gaza. This comes after an unprecedented surprise attack launched by the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, on Saturday. One resident reported seeing numerous bodies and vehicles bearing bullet marks in the town of Sderot in southern Israel, where fighting continued between Hamas fighters and Israeli forces hours after the attack began.
Shlomi from Sderot said, "I went out and saw a large number of bodies of terrorists and civilians, and vehicles that had been shot at. A sea of bodies inside Sderot along the road and in other places. So many bodies." Israeli media reported by nightfall that at least 300 Israelis had been killed, while the Israeli Health Ministry stated that the number of injured exceeded 1,100. Reports indicated that fighting continued in several locations surrounding the Gaza Strip.
This attack, which took place on a Jewish holiday, has caused significant shock in a country that prides itself on its strong military. In one incident, young Israelis recounted fleeing from a dance party in the early hours of Saturday morning after Hamas militants, supported by a barrage of rockets, stormed the towns and villages along the border. Witnesses said the dance party, attended by hundreds near Re’im, saw attendees running through fields and along roads to escape gunfire.
A young woman named Ortal told Israeli Channel 12 News, "The music stopped and the rocket alert siren sounded... suddenly, unexpectedly, they started shooting." Another attendee at the party, Esther Poroshov, mentioned that a car collided with hers while she was attempting to flee, and a young man urged her and a friend to jump into his car before he was shot at close range. She added that she pretended to be dead until she was rescued. Speaking to Reuters from the hospital, she said, "I couldn’t move my legs... the soldiers came and took us to the bushes."
Israeli ambulance services reported that their crews could not reach the injured in the towns where fighting was ongoing, adding that one of their vehicles was attacked, resulting in the death of a crew member. The attacks on Israelis represent the deadliest since the Palestinian suicide bombings during the Second Intifada that struck major Israeli cities nearly two decades ago. The shock was intensified by armed Palestinian groups releasing footage on social media showing what they claimed were captured Israeli soldiers and civilians being led to Gaza, along with militants holding more hostages inside Israel.
Israeli television stations broadcast phone calls from residents in extreme panic in towns where militants were attempting to breach shelters. One woman named Ela spoke live with Israeli Channel 12, saying she had been holed up for hours in a bomb shelter in the Be'er Sheva neighborhood. Reports suggested that Hamas was holding 50 Israelis hostage in that area.
