Hundreds of Israelis could be seen running for their lives through the desert after they were warned of an incoming rocket attack just as the Hamas invasion began early on Saturday.
The incident occurred during a religious music festival, immediately spreading panic and fear with the terrifying episode all captured on video.
‘We received a ‘red siren’ [rocket warning] alert. It led to chaos, especially among the vehicles trying to exit,’ one festivalgoer named Daniel explained.
‘Then gunshots began, and we had to start running. Currently, we are in hiding, waiting for assistance.’
Daniel said the siren led to a frantic scramble for safety when gunshots suddenly rang out as heavily armed militants arrived on the scene.
Panicked festivalgoers are seen running through their lives as gunfire and a series of rocket attacks broke out
Hundreds of Israelis can be seen running for their lives through the desert after they were warned of an incoming rocket attack just as the Hamas invasion began early on Saturday
The incident occurred during a religious music festival, immediately spreading panic and fear with the terrifying episode all captured on video
People could be seen hurriedly packing their cars in a desperate effort to get away
Others were left to make their own getaway on food across the Negev desert
Videos posted to social media, although grainy appear to depict scenes of chaos in the sand at the outdoor party near Kibbutz Urim in the South of Israel, reports the Jerusalem Post.
Panicked Israelis can be seen shouting, running, and hurriedly getting into cars as they attempt to escape near Urim, a kibbutz based in the north-western Negev desert, about 5 miles from the city of Ofakim.
‘Palestinian terrorists invaded a festival where hundreds of Israelis were camping out for the Shemini Atzeret holiday. The panic caused by this is evident on the fades [faces] of the civilians being targeted by heavily armed militants. Pray for Israel,’ the video is captioned.
A second video of the same scene also sees hundreds of Israelis running for cover and countless others speeding off in packed vehicles across the dusty ground.
‘Israelis running from cities to deserts by foot, car and any other means,’ reads the caption.
The Jerusalem Post details how Israeli security forces managed to escort some to a southern military base for safety.
The attack came during the Jewish holy festival of Shemini Atzeret and just one day after Israel marked the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War.
Panicked festivalgoers could be seen sprinting for safety early on Saturday morning
Some could be seen scrambling for the safety of cars to get away from danger
Videos posted to social media appears to depict scenes of chaos in the sand
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Israel was ‘at war’ and called for a mass mobilization of army reserves.
Israel will stop supplying electricity, fuel and goods to Gaza, according to a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office Saturday night.
Much of Gaza was already thrown into darkness by nightfall after electrical supplies from Israel, which supplies almost all of the territories’ power, were cut off earlier in the day.
Netanyahu also said the ‘first phase’ of the counter operation had ended, and that Israel had fought off the majority of Hamas militants.
He vowed to continue the offensive ‘without reservation and without respite.’
Hamas militants fired thousands of rockets and sent dozens of fighters into Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip in an unprecedented surprise early morning attack during a major Jewish holiday Saturday. Pictured, people try to extinguish fire on cars following a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, southern Israel
The announcement came after a surprise attack by Hamas militants into Israel on Saturday morning.
Hamas militants fired thousands of rockets and sent dozens of fighters into Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip in an unprecedented surprise early morning attack during a major Jewish holiday Saturday.
Israel said it is now at war with Hamas and launched airstrikes in Gaza.
The Hamas militant group says it is holding ‘dozens’ of Israeli soldiers captive in the Gaza Strip.
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