Gaza Periphery Residents begging for IDF help: “There’s no military intervention.”

Residents near the Gaza Strip are in lockdown, reporting sustained gunfire. “We’ve been under continuous fire for over an hour and a half with no assistance,” one resident lamented. Another reported, “Militants are roaming between homes, attempting to break in.” A motorist described a harrowing encounter: “I was confronted by a group of 30. They fired at my car. I managed a narrow escape.” Reports have also surfaced of militants occupying gardens, firing indiscriminately. One even entered a bomb shelter, with security forces allegedly failing to respond.

In the wake of the escalating situation, residents of communities along the Gaza periphery sent frantic messages to security forces early Saturday morning. They reported widespread breaches by militants who initiated gunfire. A resident shared with Ynet: “It’s an assault, and there’s no one to assist. The gunfire hasn’t stopped. We’re left defenseless here, with no army in sight.”

Shortly after 8 AM, another account emerged: “Militants are moving from house to house, attempting to get in.” A resident from a community closer to the Strip shared, “We’re sheltered in our fortified rooms, struggling to grasp the situation. All we hear is relentless gunfire. We’re in the dark and feel completely abandoned.”

A resident of the South narrated a chilling episode: “I faced a formation of about 30. They targeted my vehicle. They were on motorcycles and more. I made a miraculous escape. My children are trapped at home. Anyone without specific clearance shouldn’t approach this zone.”

Distress signals continued to pour in. “Desperate! Can’t reach any officials! There are militants in Kfar Aza. Dispatch forces to Kibbutz Kfar Aza!” read a message from a resident of Kfar Aza.

Tali Hadad from Ofakim reported three hours post the onset of the assault: “At 6 AM, we heard alerts, followed by sirens and gunshots at 7 AM. My son, a recent infantry officer course graduate, armed himself and charged out. We trailed him, hearing gunshots from a neighboring garden. Militants took positions, firing ruthlessly at passersby. Thankfully, it was early, and many were at synagogues celebrating Simchat Torah.”

Hadad detailed getting caught in the crossfire with her daughter, with her son, who had pursued the militants, being injured. “An explosion rang out; they deployed an RPG. As gunfire raged, I lay low. When reinforcements arrived, they instructed me to remain grounded.” She recounted witnessing a militant infiltrate a shelter, hurling a smoke grenade: “He wore a conspicuous orange hood. I flagged his position, but security personnel didn’t engage. It was an utter lapse. The militant proceeded to enter a residential structure.” The Ofakim municipality has since advised residents to stay indoors.

Meanwhile, Hamas initiated an unforeseen assault on Israel earlier today. This comprised a barrage of rockets from the Strip and militant infiltration into Israeli regions. Sources indicate these militants, spotted in vehicles in the southern settlements, were launching direct assaults on civilians and security personnel. Reports suggest a breach at the Erez crossing, with primary infiltration stemming from there.

Shortly after the onslaught commenced, Mohammad Deif, leader of Hamas’s military division, released a statement attributing this multifaceted assault on Israel to events at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. “We’ve issued prior warnings,” Deif asserted, referencing perceived Israeli provocations at Islamic holy sites, particularly Al-Aqsa. Labeling this operation the “Flood of Al-Aqsa,” Deif urged militants within the Gaza periphery to intensify their onslaught using any means available. “Now is the time for every weapon to be unleashed,” he declared. He also exhorted Israeli Arabs to rise against Israel.