Northern Negev Residents Report Intense Gunfire, Threaten Independent Patrols

Residents in the northern Negev, near the Bedouin city of Rahat, reported sustained, heavy gunfire from early Saturday morning, beginning at 6:29 AM. The sounds of light arms and machine guns were clearly audible in surrounding communities, with residents describing the atmosphere as reminiscent of October 7th. Residents of Givot Bar, a nearby settlement, stated the shooting continued for four hours, intensifying significantly after the 6:29 AM start time, which they noted coincided with the Hamas attack's commencement.

Multiple calls were made to the police, who stated that patrols were dispatched but could not locate the source of the gunfire. This lack of response has led to frustration and threats from residents to form their own independent force to identify the origin of the shooting. "The reality we are experiencing lately has become impossible," wrote the settlement's manager, Billy, in a community group. "We heard heavy bursts of automatic weapons, like an incursion into the settlement."

Residents claim this intense shooting has been ongoing for a week, despite their complaints. The settlement manager expressed deep concern, questioning whether shooting squads were operating within the community and if alarms in unoccupied structures indicated the presence of militants. She declared, "Residents of Givot Bar have finished waiting. If the existing response does not change, we will establish an independent response force that will go out into the field in real-time to check and locate the source of the shooting, inside and outside the settlement."

The police issued a brief statement, saying, "Rahat police officers are operating in the area."