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Fri, Nov 22, 2024 | Jumada al-Awwal 20, 1446 | DXB
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Look: Israeli border town evacuates amid Gaza war
Around half of the 30,000 inhabitants of Sderot, just about a kilometre away from the Gaza Strip, have already fled in the last days
Israelis load their belongings onto a bus as they evacuate from the southern Israeli town of Sderot. — AP
Shmirit Edri gave birth just three days ago, but she left hospital to get on an evacuation bus on Sunday to leave southern Israel's Sderot — one of the sites targeted by Hamas gunmen in their deadly October 7 attack.
Edri's infant, born prematurely, is still with her husband at the hospital in Ashkelon city, about 30 kilometres from Sderot.
"I am taking our three other children to the south to safety. I'll come back to the hospital and we'll take turns," she told AFP.
Israelis carry their belongings as they evacuate from Sderot. — AP
Located just about a kilometre from the Gaza Strip, Sderot, with a population of 30,000, has for years been targeted by rockets fired from the territory ruled by Hamas.
Inhabitants are no stranger to evacuation orders, having already had to clear out during previous wars against Hamas.
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But the fear is palpable after the attack last week, when Hamas gunmen stormed across the border and killed more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians.
Israeli forces have responded with heavy bombardment of Hamas targets in Gaza, where authorities say at least 2,450 people have been killed.
Israeli police explosive experts survey the remains of a private house after it was hit by a rocket launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel, in Sderot. — Reuters
Ahead of a looming Israeli ground offensive in Gaza to "destroy" Hamas, classified by the United States and the European Union as a terrorist group, Sderot's city authorities have urged residents to evacuate.
Mordechai Barsheshet, 57, said he finally agreed to leave after having tried to "resist" for a week.
"It's too scary to stay. The days and nights are the same — the rockets, the explosions," he said. "We sleep an hour, we hide in the shelter, we can't take a shower or shave."
On Sunday morning, Sderot's streets were mostly deserted, save for a few patrolling police officers.
Windows shattered by bullets, damaged electricity poles, burnt-out vehicles on the streets still bear witness to the October 7 attack.
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At a house recently hit by a rocket, food remains were splattered all over the kitchen.
Residents have grown accustomed to an ongoing soundtrack of ground-shaking booms as Israel hammers Gaza, as well as wailing sirens when rockets fly back from the Strip.
City authorities arranged for three buses to leave from a school at the centre of Sderot on Sunday, each taking 50 passengers.
But even their journey out isn't without risk — the main road they'd be travelling is under constant threat of rockets fired by Hamas.
If all goes well, they'll be brought to the Jerusalem, Tel Aviv or the Red Sea resort city of Eilat.
Israelis wait to board a bus as they evacuate from the southern Israeli city of Sderot to safer areas. — AFP
Many took only small luggages with them, hoping that they would be able to return home soon.
Around half of Sderot's inhabitants have already fled in the last days, according to Israeli media reports.
"We're going to Eilat. We'll come back as soon as we can, Sderot is our home," said Helen Afteker, 50, before boarding one of the buses.
"It's tough, it's tears, fears at every alert. We have to go, it's better for the children,"
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