Amid the relentless Israeli bombardments and fearing for their safety, an Indian woman residing in Gaza, along with her family, urgently sought evacuation from the conflict-ridden region governed by Hamas.
In a phone interview with PTI, Lubna Nazir Shaboo, an Indian hailing from Jammu & Kashmir, shared her harrowing experiences. She described the situation as a brutal war, with everything around them being destroyed and subjected to bombardment in mere seconds. Shaboo emphasized that civilians were bearing the brunt of this conflict, as they became deliberate targets.
The Israel-Hamas conflict has now entered its fourth day, resulting in a significant loss of lives on both sides, with at least 1,600 casualties. On the Gaza side, 788 individuals have lost their lives, and 4,100 others have sustained injuries.
In the aftermath of the devastating attacks by Hamas militants, which began on Saturday morning, Israel's warplanes unleashed a relentless assault on downtown Gaza City, home to the key government facilities of Hamas.
Shaboo conveyed the intense fear induced by the sounds of bombardment, which shook their entire house. She described the situation as extremely terrifying.
In addition to the dire security situation, Shaboo highlighted the challenges they were facing due to the disruption of basic services. The water supply had been officially cut off, and electricity was also unavailable. Shaboo's two elder children are studying in Cairo, Egypt, while she resides with her husband, Nedal Toman, and their youngest daughter, Karima, in Gaza.
Shaboo further explained that the internet connection in Gaza was poor, and only those with limited data packages could maintain communication with the outside world. Israel's defense minister, Yoav Gallant, had issued an order for a "complete siege" of Gaza, which included cutting off the supply of electricity, food, and fuel to the region.
Trapped in the small and closed-off Gaza Strip, Shaboo expressed the impossibility of finding a safe place to go due to the lack of exit routes and the perilous situation. She reached out for assistance from the Representative Office of India in Ramallah, seeking refuge for herself, her husband, and her daughter. Unfortunately, the only exit route, the Rafah crossing with Egypt, was shut down, leaving Gaza residents with limited escape options.
The Representative Office of India in Ramallah acknowledged their efforts to help all Indians but recognized that the challenging situation on the ground limited their options. Additionally, the Indian embassy in Tel Aviv is actively exploring ways to assist all Indians affected by the ongoing conflict.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a nationally televised address, hinted at the intensification of the conflict, stating that they had only just begun striking Hamas and that the actions taken in the coming days would have far-reaching consequences for their enemies.
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