Republic reports from Sderot: A glimpse into Israel's counterattack on Hamas in Gaza

In the quiet hours of the night, when the world was asleep, Republic's report from the ground in Israel's Sderot showcased the destruction that illuminated the darkness. It was 3:25 am when the heavens above Gaza were rent by flares cascading like fallen stars. The smoke and devastation from Israel's airstrikes were so intense that they pierced through the clouds, casting an eerie glow over the cloudy, rain-soaked night—marking the first rainfall of winter.

For more than an agonising hour, a relentless onslaught of aircraft descended upon Gaza, delivering their deadly payloads with uncanny precision.

The Israeli military reported a staggering statistic. According to them,  On this fateful Monday night, the rate of bomb delivery exceeded that of the infamous Second Lebanon War in 2006 by a factor of five. These aerial giants were on a mission, predominantly targeting the upper-class neighbourhoods in Gaza that housed the leadership of Hamas—the very symbols of Hamas's territorial dominion.

Gaza plunged into darkness, the internet connection was severed, and Israel cut off the final water supply, leaving the region with no water, electricity, or gas. Reports now suggest that Israel is poised for a ground invasion.

(Palestinians examine the debris of a building following its impact from an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on Sunday, October 8 | Image Credit: AP)

Israel-Hamas war

Israel escalated its airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, while simultaneously sealing off the territory from essential supplies, including food and fuel, in retaliation for a deadly incursion by Hamas terrorists. This offensive forced tens of thousands of Gaza residents to flee their homes, as relentless airstrikes levelled buildings.

The Israeli military indicated that it had gained control of the situation in the south, but the initial surprise attack had left their vaunted military and intelligence apparatus struggling to cope. It led to intense urban battles on the streets, a sight not seen in decades. In response to this incursion, Hamas and other militants in Gaza have claimed to be holding more than 130 soldiers and civilians who were captured from inside Israel.

Hamas has escalated the conflict further by vowing to execute captured Israelis if attacks on civilians continue without prior warnings.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a televised address on Monday, declared that Israel had "only started" its fierce offensive in response to an unprecedented Hamas attack. The death toll in this war has risen to nearly 1,600 on both sides, with around 900 people, including 73 soldiers, killed in Israel, and over 680 people killed in Gaza, according to authorities.

(Rockets fired toward Israel from Gaza, Saturday, October 7 | Image Credit: AP)

As Israel continued its heavy airstrikes in Gaza, Netanyahu issued a stern warning, saying, "We have only started striking Hamas. What we will do to our enemies in the coming days will reverberate with them for generations."