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| Israel-Gaza: Locals scramble for cover, some hiding in wardrobes | |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| Funerals have been held for those killed in the Israeli strikes | Funerals have been held for those killed in the Israeli strikes |
| Residents in Jerusalem and Gaza say they are bracing themselves for a drawn-out conflict, as Palestinian militants and Israeli forces continue to exchange fire. | Residents in Jerusalem and Gaza say they are bracing themselves for a drawn-out conflict, as Palestinian militants and Israeli forces continue to exchange fire. |
| Militants have fired dozens of rockets towards Israel since Monday night, and Israel has responded by hitting targets in Gaza. | Militants have fired dozens of rockets towards Israel since Monday night, and Israel has responded by hitting targets in Gaza. |
| The violence - the worst in the area since 2018 - has caused casualties on both sides. | The violence - the worst in the area since 2018 - has caused casualties on both sides. |
| The BBC has been talking to residents about their fears. | The BBC has been talking to residents about their fears. |
| Death toll grows as Israel-Gaza violence escalates | Death toll grows as Israel-Gaza violence escalates |
| What makes Jerusalem so holy? | What makes Jerusalem so holy? |
| The Israel-Palestinian conflict explained | The Israel-Palestinian conflict explained |
| 'Many are bracing themselves for a long exchange of fire' | 'Many are bracing themselves for a long exchange of fire' |
| Yolande Knell, Middle East correspondent, Jerusalem | Yolande Knell, Middle East correspondent, Jerusalem |
| The southern Israeli city of Ashkelon has borne the brunt of the latest heavy barrages of Gaza rockets. | The southern Israeli city of Ashkelon has borne the brunt of the latest heavy barrages of Gaza rockets. |
| The Hamas militant wing warned it would make life "hell" here and that is how it has seemed for locals. | The Hamas militant wing warned it would make life "hell" here and that is how it has seemed for locals. |
| The constant wail of warning sirens sends them scrambling for cover. | The constant wail of warning sirens sends them scrambling for cover. |
| Ashkelon has borne the brunt of the rocket attacks | Ashkelon has borne the brunt of the rocket attacks |
| Overhead, there are loud bangs and trails of white smoke across the blue sky as Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system intercepts most of the launches from nearby Gaza. | Overhead, there are loud bangs and trails of white smoke across the blue sky as Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system intercepts most of the launches from nearby Gaza. |
| However, a number of buildings have been directly hit. Two women were killed. Dozens of people have been rushed to hospital for treatment. | However, a number of buildings have been directly hit. Two women were killed. Dozens of people have been rushed to hospital for treatment. |
| Many of the older buildings here do not have the bomb shelters that now come as standard in Israel. | Many of the older buildings here do not have the bomb shelters that now come as standard in Israel. |
| Many Israelis expect days more exchanges of fire | Many Israelis expect days more exchanges of fire |
| One woman spoke of the terrifying moment before dawn when a missile hit her home as she hid in her wardrobe. | One woman spoke of the terrifying moment before dawn when a missile hit her home as she hid in her wardrobe. |
| Many here are bracing themselves for the heavy exchange of fire to continue for days to come. | Many here are bracing themselves for the heavy exchange of fire to continue for days to come. |
| "It will go far, this round of violence," says one man, Yossi Asulin. "Now that there are people killed, people here want it to solve the problem [with Hamas] once and for all." | "It will go far, this round of violence," says one man, Yossi Asulin. "Now that there are people killed, people here want it to solve the problem [with Hamas] once and for all." |
| 'It seems like the escalation is continuing' | 'It seems like the escalation is continuing' |
| Rushdi Abu Alouf, BBC News, Gaza City | Rushdi Abu Alouf, BBC News, Gaza City |
| Gaza has not experienced a situation like this for years. This miserable, over-crowded city knows very well what war means. | Gaza has not experienced a situation like this for years. This miserable, over-crowded city knows very well what war means. |
| The main commercial street in the city centre is almost empty except for a few shoppers. Most shops were closed ahead of Eid al Fitr - the most important religious and social occasion for Muslims. | The main commercial street in the city centre is almost empty except for a few shoppers. Most shops were closed ahead of Eid al Fitr - the most important religious and social occasion for Muslims. |
| Bombardments did not abate as the sound of Palestinian rockets and Israeli air strikes echoed across the region on Tuesday morning. | Bombardments did not abate as the sound of Palestinian rockets and Israeli air strikes echoed across the region on Tuesday morning. |
| Israeli strikes have destroyed several homes in Gaza | Israeli strikes have destroyed several homes in Gaza |
| A few metres away from our office in Gaza, a loud explosion rang out and huge black smoke billowed into the sky after an Israeli airstrike hit an apartment building housing hundreds of residents. The raid killed two Islamic Jihad military leaders who were hiding inside. | A few metres away from our office in Gaza, a loud explosion rang out and huge black smoke billowed into the sky after an Israeli airstrike hit an apartment building housing hundreds of residents. The raid killed two Islamic Jihad military leaders who were hiding inside. |
| "This is Israeli terrorism, we are innocent civilians. My children are terrified, they do not want to go home again for fear of renewed air strikes," says a woman screaming, carrying her young child as she escapes from the building. | "This is Israeli terrorism, we are innocent civilians. My children are terrified, they do not want to go home again for fear of renewed air strikes," says a woman screaming, carrying her young child as she escapes from the building. |
| Since the round of fighting began, residents have rushed to their homes to flee the bombing. Gaza has no shelters or air-raid sirens, so residents have no other options but to hide in their homes. | Since the round of fighting began, residents have rushed to their homes to flee the bombing. Gaza has no shelters or air-raid sirens, so residents have no other options but to hide in their homes. |
| Israeli air strikes hit Gaza after rocket fire | Israeli air strikes hit Gaza after rocket fire |
| "We do not know for how long this round of fighting will continue. It seems that the escalation is continuing," says local resident Sherin Emadadein. "I'm a mother of four children, we live in an apartment in a seven-floor building. There is no basement in our building, I do not know where we will flee if our building is bombed." | "We do not know for how long this round of fighting will continue. It seems that the escalation is continuing," says local resident Sherin Emadadein. "I'm a mother of four children, we live in an apartment in a seven-floor building. There is no basement in our building, I do not know where we will flee if our building is bombed." |
| Sherin spoke to me on the telephone as she bought food from the only food shop open in her west Gaza neighbourhood. | Sherin spoke to me on the telephone as she bought food from the only food shop open in her west Gaza neighbourhood. |
| "I was supposed to buy chocolate and sweets to celebrate the end of the long fasting month of Ramadan, but now we don't know for how long this escalation will last so I only buy the basic needs," she adds. | "I was supposed to buy chocolate and sweets to celebrate the end of the long fasting month of Ramadan, but now we don't know for how long this escalation will last so I only buy the basic needs," she adds. |