A rocket exploded near a hotel in Israel’s Ashkelon, barely a few kilometres from the Gaza strip, this morning as NDTV journalists were about to check in. Air raid sirens blared and the crew ran for the basement shelter leaving their luggage behind, showed visuals underlining the horror that Israelis are facing.
NDTV brings this exclusive ground report from Israel which is fighting an all-out war against Hamas and other Palestinian groups.
Several roads are barricaded. Rockets and the humming of fighter jets could be heard in the background as they spoke as live visuals showed rockets piercing the skies.
Over 1,100 civilians and soldiers have been killed on both sides in the war that began Saturday morning following a barrage of rocket attacks from Gaza. This includes over 700 in Israel.
Israel has unleashed a fierce counterattack, determined to “change the face of reality” in Gaza.
The Israeli Iron Dome system is fully active in Ashkelon, about 10-12 km from Gaza, and is intercepting the rockets fired from the blockaded coastal enclave. However, given the volume of the rockets fired by Hamas, some rockets may be leaking through these defences.
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