The apartment in Tel Aviv
A Tel Aviv residential building was hit by a rocket fired from Gaza in a heavy barrage targeting central Israel on Friday afternoon. Four people were hurt, one sustaining moderate wounds. Rockets also fell in the city of Holon, just south of Tel Aviv and in Ashkelon, in the South.
Read more:
Eight firefighting teams were dispatched to the scene after a fire broke out and spread to multiple floors. Another rocket landed in Jaffa, where, fortunately, no casualties were reported.
Before the rocket hit Tel Aviv, Ben Benjamin, who was at an ice cream parlor across from the building, recounted the terrifying moment: "Suddenly, we heard a deafening blast, shards of glass were flying, windows shattered, chaos ensued. We stand in solidarity with the South. We must destroy Hamas, eradicate this threat, and ensure Hamas is no longer a menace. We're determined to wake up to a safer future."
The rocket hit in Jaffa
Less than half an hour later, sirens blared once again across the Tel Aviv metropolitan area and the central plains. A direct hit on a house in a moshav was reported, with no injuries. The other rockets, it appears, were intercepted or fell in open fields.
Tel Aviv building
Paramedic Yosef Nahon recounted the rocket strike: "As soon as I heard the sirens, I took cover in a protected area. Within moments, I heard an incredibly loud explosion, and when I stepped outside, I realized it was a direct hit. I immediately reported the incident to MDA's dispatch to send medical teams to the location. I ensured the evacuation of anyone in the vicinity, and the injured began to come towards us."
Following the rocket's impact, law enforcement officials announced that bomb disposal experts and isolated officers were carefully surveying the scene for any additional rocket remnants. They urged residents to stay in secure areas, avoid approaching impact sites, and refrain from touching rocket remains, which might contain explosive materials. Furthermore, they encouraged reporting any findings to the police dispatch at 100 without delay.
After the rocket strike, a large crowd gathered outside the building, making it challenging for law enforcement to keep them at a safe distance from the scene.
First published: 18:34, 10.27.23