Chilling accounts from under-siege Israeli city after Hamas order ‘get out’

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Earlier today (Tuesday, October 10) Hamas told residents of Ashkelon, an Israeli city just north just of the Gaza Strip, to evacuate before 5pm (local time).

The chilling warning came on the fourth day of unprecedented hostilities between Palestinian militants Hamas – deemed a terror organisation by the UK government – and Israel.

Ashkelon is home to roughly 150,000 people, making the hours-to-spare evacuation warning simply redundant for thousands. Instead, people headed for safe rooms and waited for the Hamas rocket attack.

READ MORE: German tattoo artist 'still alive' after body was paraded naked on truck by Hamas gunmen

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Lisa Pressman, who made Israel her home after moving from the US five years ago, told the Daily Star: "It said to me that I needed to be in my safe room at 5pm. I’m very lucky for that, because not everybody in Ashkelon has one in their apartment.

"At 5pm there was a huge barrage. Some of the barrages yesterday and the day before were actually on our block and our building was hit. One of the apartments on the very top floor was heavily damaged and everybody in the building felt some damage."

Chiam Smierc, another Ashkelon resident, told the Daily Star: "My family and I live in an apartment with a shelter room. The attacks since 5pm have been intense. The first 30 minutes or so were the hardest. We ran to shelter multiple times and we heard incredible sounds of explosions from the Iron Dome interceptions above our heads."

Lisa, 72, explained that while Israel's Iron Dome defence system intercepts Hamas rockets, shrapnel still falls from the sky and causes considerable damage. She spoke of glass strewn across streets and "window-sized" holes in buildings.

Lisa told us: "I said to a friend yesterday, ‘So this is what war is like?’ You sit around and wait to find out what will happen next.

"It’s the first war I’ve been in. I visited Israel for many years before I came to live here, and I’ve been here when there were other attacks, but this is very different. And my friends who have lived here 60 years say this is the worst they’ve been through."

She described how city officials, Synagogues and neighbours are reaching out to people, helping others when they can during the lulls between rocket barrages. She added: "I'm the kind of person who doesn’t want to just stay in my room and be afraid.

"That for me would be difficult. But you also have to be realistic. I’m 72, not 30, so there’s a realism there. My husband is 85 and he needs a little more help. But we all do try to take care of each other."

Chiam said he isn't going anywhere despite Hamas' warning. He said: "Most haven’t left and the city is still intact despite some hits.

"My mother works as a social worker at the hospital and has been helping with the influx of victims and families. I never left Ashkelon during previous rounds of escalation. It’s my home and I won’t leave despite many offers from friends in other parts of the country to be their guests."

Violence exploded in the region on Saturday when Hamas gunmen stormed Israeli communities and killed hundreds. Israel declared war and responded with a campaign of overwhelming aerial bombardment. Israeli officials have now said the death toll there has surpassed 1,000. According to the health ministry in the Gaza Strip, 900 have died there. Tens of thousands have been displaced in Gaza.

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