'Most frightening during the night.'
Air Force Journal
Living with supersonic booms
Supersonic booms created by IAF jets as part of effort to deter terror groups in Gaza taking their toll on Israeli communities in area; Kibbutz Nirim resident says, ‘All day long there are booms. It is most frightening during the night; you have to sleep really well not to wake up from them.’ IDF: Artillery fire toward Gaza aimed at providing maximum security for residents
The supersonic booms created by IAF jets as part of the efforts to deter terror groups in Gaza, in light of the recent Qassam onslaughts, have taken their toll on Israeli communities in the area.
Moreover, the booms are often accompanied by IDF artillery fire, as additional artillery batteries have been positioned in the area as of late.
“All day long there are booms. It is most frightening during the night; you have to sleep really well not to wake up from them," Kibbutz Nirim Secretary Horatio Winitzky says.
“The children are scared because they don’t understand, but the adults are also afraid,” Winitzky adds. “We are trying to continue with the daily routine, but it is very unpleasant to live like this.”
Aryeh Itzik, a resident of nearby kibbutz Nir-Oz, which is situated along the border with Gaza south of the Kissufim crossing, told Ynet that, “Today (Saturday) the supersonic booms began at 7 a.m.; they were our wakeup call. The blasts occur every 20 minutes to an hour, and it sounds as though a bomb is falling right into the house.”
“Last week, on the eve of the second Sukkot holiday, the alert system was activated due to a real Qassam attack in the area, and we were told to remain in our homes. This was the first time something like this has happened since I came to the kibbutz in 1971,” he said.
“Last week, in light of the Qassam warnings, we were prevented from working in the fields close to the (security) fence for two days; it is obvious that when you don’t tend to the fields for two days the produce is damaged.”
'Maximum security'
The kibbutz distributed beepers to provide its members with information explaining the source of the explosions.
Aryeh’s 18-year-old daughter Tahal said, “The public must be informed that the explosions are caused by our forces and not by the Qassams.”
An IDF source said in response that “Following the IDF’s withdrawal from Gaza and in light of the reality in Gaza, the army is operating against the terror groups, mainly to prevent Qassam and mortar fire in accordance with the political echelon’s instructions.
“The diverse activity is aimed at providing maximum security for residents of the around-Gaza communities,” he added.
Hanan Greenberg contributed to the report
