Northern Negev Residents Report Heavy Gunfire, Echoing October 7th Fears

Residents of the northern Negev community of Giv'ot Bar awoke on a holiday morning to intense automatic gunfire and machine-gun fire, which they claim originated from the nearby Bedouin city of Rahat. The barrage began precisely at 6:29 AM, a time that eerily recalled the start of the October 7th Hamas attack, and continued for approximately four hours.

The prolonged shooting caused significant alarm among residents, with hundreds of worried messages flooding local WhatsApp groups as they questioned their safety. Despite repeated calls to the emergency services, residents reported that patrols were dispatched to scan the area but could not immediately locate the source of the gunfire.

Community leaders stated that this was not an isolated incident but the culmination of a tense week marked by explosions and military training sounds in the area, with the morning's events crossing a "red line." The police, however, denied claims of a lack of response, asserting that officers from the Rahat station were operating with reinforced forces.

During the operation, two suspects were arrested, adding to three others detained in recent days. Authorities also seized handguns, an M-16 assault rifle, and a large quantity of ammunition. Despite these arrests, Giv'ot Bar residents are demanding a fundamental solution and robust enforcement measures, emphasizing their basic right to live securely without constant fear of gunfire.