Rahat Schools Instructed to Keep Children Indoors Amidst Gunfire

Schools in the Bedouin city of Rahat, located in the Negev region of southern Israel, received unusual instructions on Sunday morning to keep children inside classrooms and away from playgrounds due to ongoing, intense gunfire. The directive came from the municipality's Security and Emergency Department, following a night of continuous shooting in the city. Educators were told to immediately bring children into classrooms upon arrival and to prevent them from going outside until further notice. The instructions specifically mentioned that exiting to playgrounds is forbidden. The notice, which was signed by Rahat's Security and Emergency Department, urged staff to bring children into classrooms and, if necessary, into shelters, particularly those in areas affected by what the notice referred to as 'civil war.' These exceptional measures are a response to recurring shooting incidents in and around Rahat in recent weeks. Reports have indicated gunfire occurring even during school commute hours, alongside police activity targeting suspects involved in family disputes within the city.