Northern Negev Residents Report Intense Gunfire, Draw Parallels to October 7th

Residents in the northern Negev region, particularly near the Bedouin city of Rahat, reported intense and near-continuous gunfire from early Saturday morning. Residents of the nearby settlement of Giv'ot Bar stated that the heavy fire, involving light arms and machine guns, began at 6:29 AM and continued for approximately four hours. They described the experience as reminiscent of the Hamas attack on October 7th, noting the firing intensified around the same time the initial assault began that day.

Multiple calls were made to the police, who stated that patrols were dispatched but the source of the gunfire could not be located. Frustrated by the lack of response and the ongoing noise, residents are threatening to form their own independent force to identify the source of the shooting. They expressed concerns about potential infiltrations into their community.

According to residents, the shooting has been occurring for about a week, with Saturday's incident being particularly severe. The settlement manager of Giv'ot Bar, identified as Billy, conveyed the community's distress, stating that the sounds were not isolated shots but heavy bursts from automatic weapons that felt like an intrusion. She emphasized that the community lacks the authority to mobilize its own security teams, leaving them feeling vulnerable.

The police, in response to the reports, stated that two suspects were arrested for investigation on Saturday morning. They also reported that three additional suspects were apprehended in recent days, with handguns, M16 rifles, and magazines seized. Police in Rahat confirmed ongoing operational activity in the area.