The Israel-Hamas conflict, which is now in its fourth day, continues to maintain a tense atmosphere across the country. As images emerge from this strife-torn region, they depict scenes of devastation and horror. The surprise attack launched by the Palestinian terrorist group, Hamas, occurred on October 7, catching Israelis off guard as sirens and alarms echoed across the nation.
India Today TV recently interviewed two individuals in Jerusalem, the holy city, who shared their experiences of the events following the sounding of the sirens and alarms on Saturday, October 7. These eyewitness accounts provide a glimpse into the harrowing moments that unfolded.
One of the interviewees, Jose, recounted his experience. He mentioned that he had been at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on the previous Friday, witnessing the Shabbat celebrations, where many people were partaking in the Jewish festival. However, on Saturday, as he was preparing to leave, the bomb sirens suddenly began wailing.
"We were getting ready to head out, and we started to hear the sirens. And then we started hearing the bombs going off," he described.
In response to the sirens and the ensuing explosions, Jose sought refuge in the shelter of the condominium where he was staying.
Another resident, Oscar, shared his perspective. He revealed that he was abruptly awakened by the blaring bomb sirens, followed by the thunderous rocket explosions. He emphasized that the force of these explosions was so intense that it caused his apartment in Jerusalem to tremble.
"I was very uncertain as to what was going on," Oscar recounted during the interview.
Subsequently, the owner of Oscar's condominium instructed him and other tenants to take shelter in a bomb shelter. This precautionary measure was repeated multiple times throughout the morning, forcing them to relocate to the basement shelter on three separate occasions.
Oscar noted that, as Saturday afternoon approached, the sirens became less frequent. He even ventured out to the historic areas of Jerusalem for lunch, where he encountered a few tourists and locals. However, he admitted that the atmosphere remained tense and unnerving.
Oscar observed that, over time, Israel has grown quieter, potentially due to tourists departing the country and local residents opting to stay indoors. He also mentioned that while he had not heard sirens since that fateful Saturday, he had witnessed fighter jets in the sky. During a visit to Haifa, located in northwestern Israel, he noticed tanks moving to the south of the country, which is the worst-affected region.
Describing his experience of witnessing fighter jets and tanks, Oscar remarked, "It was scary."
The ongoing conflict between Israeli forces and the Hamas terrorist group has tragically resulted in the loss of more than 1,600 lives on both sides. Earlier in the day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that his nation did not initiate the conflict but is determined to bring it to a conclusion.
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