Israel-Hamas War: Hello, associates, I’m Vishal Pandey. A brutal struggle is ongoing between Israel and Hamas. How lengthy this struggle will proceed, in all probability nobody is aware of. But right this moment, I’ll narrate to you straight from the battlefield, what I witnessed and felt up to now 18 days, and I’ll try to specific it in phrases. It’s a bit difficult for me to convey the ache and pictures of the struggle zone in phrases, however I’ll attempt to share it with you in an in depth method.
What occurred on the morning of October 7?
On the date of October 7, 2023, I used to be at my residence within the morning and was making ready for a debate scheduled for five PM, discussing the problems that could possibly be debated right this moment. Meanwhile, somebody despatched me a message on my cell {that a} main terrorist assault had occurred in Israel. Checking the main points and verifying it, I noticed that this was a big assault. As I learn this message, I attempted to learn the information of Israeli information channels and newspapers on-line. I noticed that Hamas had carried out a terrorist assault in Israel. After confirming the information with some folks, we broke the information of this terrorist assault on Zee News, and we continued to work on this information. Slowly, extra photographs and information began coming from Israel, and it turned clear that Israel had suffered a terrorist assault much like the 26/11 Mumbai assaults.
The Israel information turned very important.
I reached the workplace by round 12 PM, and Zee News was repeatedly overlaying this information. During this time, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu introduced that Israel was at struggle. Israel would retaliate towards Hamas for this terrorist assault. However, throughout this time, in Israel, Hamas terrorists had been killing harmless folks with bullets, and in southern Israel, they had been focusing on folks with rockets. In Gaza Strip, many individuals had been kidnapped by Hamas terrorists. This information turned very important as a result of the eye of your complete world was on Israel’s terrorist assault.
India took such an enormous stand for the primary time
Around 1 PM, I acquired a telephone name, saying, “Apply for a visa to Israel as soon as possible, and prepare to go to Israel.” While I used to be nonetheless making ready for the talk scheduled for five PM, information got here that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed condolences on the terrorist assault in Israel and stated that India stands with Israel on this disaster. It was the primary time that India had taken such an enormous stand on Israel’s points.
I did not have a bulletproof jacket
As quickly as the talk ended round 6 PM, I initiated the visa software course of. I used to be known as to the Israel Embassy in Delhi at 9 AM the subsequent day with all the mandatory paperwork. By midnight, we had been gathering all of the paperwork. However, throughout this time, a problem was that if we obtained the visa, how would we fly to Israel on October 8? We did not have bulletproof jackets and helmets. It’s not protected to go to the struggle zone with no bulletproof jacket and helmet. I known as a good friend, and thru his sturdy connections, he organized two bulletproof jackets for me in a single day. Although, we hadn’t booked the tickets to Israel but as a result of we did not know once we would get the visa.
How did you get the visa for Israel?
I arrived on the Israel Embassy in Delhi at round 9 AM on October 8 with my cameraman S. Jaydeep. We had ready every thing upfront in order that if we received the visa, we may instantly proceed to Israel. We acquired the Israel visa by round 12 PM. The subsequent flight from Delhi to Tel Aviv was scheduled on the night of October 8, and we hadn’t booked our tickets but as a result of we did not know once we would obtain the visa.
Feeling Air Siren for the primary time
As quickly as we exited the flight after touchdown in Tel Aviv, I noticed shelter indicators in all places. Shelters had been arrange each 100 meters at Tel Aviv Airport as a result of Hamas had tried to focus on Tel Aviv Airport with rockets. We accomplished the mandatory procedures and, as we stepped out of the airport, we felt the struggle zone for the primary time. The air siren began ringing, indicating {that a} rocket assault was imminent, and we needed to run to the shelter instantly. Some folks reached the shelter, and others lay down the place they had been. We additionally lay down on the bottom. After a short time, the siren stopped, after which we took a taxi to the lodge.
When the police checked my passport
As I traveled on the street, I noticed concern on the faces of odd Israelis. The street from the airport to Tel Aviv City Center had remodeled right into a police camp. Police checkpoints had been arrange each few meters, and the police had been looking out each car as a result of there have been experiences of Hamas terrorists nonetheless hiding in Israel. Our automotive was additionally searched, and when the police noticed my passport, they allowed us to go. During this time, I used to be so busy that I could not inform the workplace that we had reached Tel Aviv. There was additionally a community subject with my India quantity.”
Meeting with the Israeli woman
On the morning of October 9, a name got here from the workplace, instructing me to move in the direction of the struggle zone and report safely. That morning, we made quite a few makes an attempt to discover a taxi that may take us to the Gaza border in southern Israel whereas guaranteeing our security. However, no taxi driver was keen to go to the Gaza border upon listening to its identify. So, my cameraman and I headed in the direction of the railway station, boarding a practice to Ashkelon. On this practice, I met an Israeli woman who had served within the army. We struck up a dialog, and he or she started to cry profusely. She advised me that Hamas terrorists had brutally attacked folks. They had shot little kids. Pregnant ladies weren’t spared both, and girls had been raped by Hamas. I felt quite a lot of concern. This Israeli woman, upon sharing this data, began crying loudly as soon as once more. She was trembling however had a powerful anger towards Hamas inside her. She stated that this time, Hamas shouldn’t be spared.
Searching for his holy guide within the ashes
In the meantime, we reached Ashkelon, however as soon as once more, we confronted the issue of not discovering any taxi driver keen to take us into the town. Hamas had launched practically 3,000 rockets at Ashkelon, and the town had been infiltrated by Hamas from each the ocean and the land. Fear was evident on everybody’s faces. From the railway station to the streets, the police presence was conspicuous. After an extended wait, a taxi lastly dropped us close to the town heart. From there, we began overlaying the information on foot. We reached areas the place properties had been was rubble as a result of Hamas rocket assaults. Many folks had been injured. We witnessed that properties had been decreased to nothing however ashes. A Jewish man was attempting to salvage his holy books from the ashes. Upon seeing us, he started to cry and stated that Hamas had destroyed every thing.
A rocket fell simply 1 kilometer away from me
As we had been reporting from this space, the air raid siren sounded as soon as once more, and we needed to rush to a bunker. We had solely about 10 seconds to succeed in the bunker, and we could not make it in time. We lay down on the facet of the street and mustered the braveness to ultimately attain the bunker. From the place we had been reporting, a rocket had fallen simply 1 kilometer away, in a residential space, injuring many individuals and inflicting fires in properties and vehicles. But what I can not overlook is the picture of somewhat woman from close to the bunker. She had come to the market along with her mom and was frightened because of the rocket assault. Clinging to her mom, she took refuge within the bunker, crying.
When we ventured a bit farther from that place, the siren sounded once more, and we needed to take shelter in a bunker as soon as extra. This time, a rocket had fallen on a automotive parked by the roadside. The affect had shattered the home windows of close by homes and retailers. Despite these assaults, I witnessed the patriotism and power of the Israeli folks. Immediately after the Hamas assaults, these folks got here out onto their balconies with Israeli flags, demonstrating unity and conveying a powerful message of a united Israel.
Waiting for a taxi for two hours
Now, we tried to go to Sderot from Ashkelon, however for 2 hours, we could not discover a taxi. No vehicles had been seen on the street. My cameraman, S. Jaydeep, and I stood close to a bunker and tried to flag down a number of vehicles, and a few of them left. Some automobiles stopped, however the occupants, upon listening to the identify Gaza border, refused to take us additional. During these two hours, the siren for rocket assaults went off no less than 10 instances. For us, this bunker proved to be a blessing since we had been proper by it with all our tools. There was nobody on the street for miles. During this time, a number of Israeli residents arrived, they usually inquired with suspicion about the place we had been from and what we had been doing there. After seeing my Indian media ID, they suggested us to not keep right here for too lengthy. This space isn’t protected. Hamas terrorists are nonetheless roaming round in these areas. They dropped us off on the Ashkelon railway station of their automotive after which we returned to Tel Aviv by practice
“On the morning of October tenth, we realized that we would not be capable to attain the Gaza border with no taxi. Standing exterior the lodge, I waved no less than 100 taxi drivers, 99 of whom sped ahead upon listening to the identify ‘Gaza border.’ But throughout this time, we encountered an angelic determine, Avi. He stated he may take us to Sderot. I may help for my Israeli nation. He took me in his taxi in the direction of the Gaza border.
After crossing Ashkelon, as quickly as we proceeded in the direction of Zikim Beach and Sderot, the Israeli military stopped our automotive. They checked our passports and ID playing cards. After that, they stated the media can’t go any additional. They directed us in the direction of one other a part of Sderot. As quickly as we turned, we noticed your complete street suffering from bullets. There are bullet holes in a automotive, and blood inside. An area policeman advised us that on the morning of October 7, Hamas terrorists created a bloodbath on these roads. I noticed that this automotive had no less than 50 bullet marks. There had been two Israeli residents on this automotive, and each had died on the spot.
This space was very near the battlefield. We may continuously hear the sounds of bombings. Shortly after an Israeli airstrike on Gaza Strip after Hamas terrorists launched rocket assaults, clouds of smoke had been seen. The hearth from Hamas rocket assaults could possibly be seen close to the Israeli border. This struggle was being fought aggressively from each side. Israeli military automobiles and troops had been heading in the direction of the border in giant numbers on this freeway. My driver advised me that there’s a kibbutz close by, and we must always go there. A giant Hamas assault occurred there. We left for that space, however as quickly as we reached close to the kibbutz gate, safety personnel current there raised their weapons from a distance. I didn’t get out of the automotive. My driver talked to them in Hebrew, and people folks advised us to return instantly. Until our automotive was no less than 100 meters from the gate, the safety personnel stored their weapons raised. They should not at fault. Given the huge terrorist assault on Israel, everyone seems to be pressured to have a look at issues with suspicion.
Meeting with PM Modi and Amitabh Bachchan’s fan
Leaving this space, we continued in the direction of the Gaza border from a special route. Soon, we started to see your complete battlefield of the struggle. Israeli tanks and armored automobiles are current right here. From this place, Israeli forces had been focusing on Hamas terrorist areas within the Gaza Strip. This was a extremely delicate space, so we didn’t keep for lengthy. From right here, we reached Ashkelon. As quickly as we reached close to the municipality of this place, the Air Siren went off. Policemen, troopers, and all media personnel instantly ran in the direction of the bunkers. A rocket fired by Hamas had efficiently hit Ashkelon. Here, I met Ricky Shai, an Indian-origin resident. She advised me that individuals in Ashkelon are leaving their properties to go to central Israel. People are very scared as a result of nobody is aware of when and the place Hamas rockets will land. In addition, Hamas terrorists are nonetheless roaming in these areas. The dialog with Ricky Shai was ongoing, and through this time, an Israeli soldier got here. He loves India very a lot and had deliberate to go to Rishikesh in India to follow yoga and meditation. He needed to go there earlier than this terrorist assault occurred. He had already deliberate to go to Rishikesh in India. He needed to do yoga and meditation on the banks of the Ganges River. He talked about that he’s an enormous fan of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan. He had already deliberate his journey to India, however earlier than that, this terrorist assault occurred. He left for India with the will to go to Rishikesh. He did not need to reveal his identify, so we’re not disclosing his identify.
Entry into Ghost City
On the morning of October eleventh, we left for Sderot from Tel Aviv. This time, we had a retired soldier from the Israeli military with us, who got here together with his taxi. His identify is Eli Yahu. He took us straight to the town of Sderot, the place the most important hazard was current. When Hamas terrorists first infiltrated this metropolis, they killed anybody who got here of their method. As quickly as we entered Sderot, we noticed an odd silence. It appeared like we had been getting into a Ghost City. No human being was seen far and broad. Some folks had been peeking out of their home home windows. In this metropolis, there have been burnt homes, bullet holes on the streets, and bloodstains in lots of locations. I went on to the Sderot police station. This police station was destroyed by Hamas terrorists. Many harmless and unarmed folks had been brutally killed right here. Now, this place isn’t a police station; solely the constructing stays. I noticed that the our bodies of Hamas terrorists had been additionally faraway from contained in the constructing. The automotive home windows had been shattered. The scent of corpses was evident. There had been bloodstains scattered on the roads the place some vacationers had fallen. There had been grotesque scenes in all places.
(Disclaimer: Israel War Diary – Seen by the eyes of Zee Media reporter Vishal Pandey and cameraperson S Jayadeep. Part 1. The subsequent a part of this collection will likely be revealed tomorrow.)”
