 Israeli territory. The IDF calling on people to stay in shelters. This all coming after a high-profile Palestinian terrorist died in Israeli custody this morning after being on hunger strike for nearly three months. For the latest details, we bring in our defense correspondent, Jonathan Reggae, of this all unfolding as we speak. What is the latest, Jonathan? Yes, the IDF Benita has been expecting this about 10 minutes before the attack took place. The IDF changing it's a directive from this morning. If the morning residents were told to keep a normal routine at around three o'clock, about 30, 40 minutes ago, people were told to stay very close to protected shelters. The IDF understanding that rockets will be coming and shortly after that, a directive was changed, rockets did come. As you mentioned in retaliation for the death of Adnan Khader, the Palestinian hunger striker coming from the ranks of the Islamic Jihad, there was a small response in the morning in the form of a three-rocket. Now we're hearing of a response that is much more widespread. And as you say, many had predicted this kind of escalation could be taking place, giving us an idea now of the kinds of security forces and teams that will be heading towards that region right now to make sure that that area is as safe as possible for the residents who, as we speak, are running to shelters. Yes, the residents were told clearly to stay close to the protected shelters, understanding that they have to stay close because rockets will be coming. Israel was monitoring what was happening inside the Gaza Strip. The discussions between Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, the Jihad, of course, wishing to send them any rockets in a response to the death of their official Hamas, perhaps restraining them a bit in the morning. But now we're seeing that these rockets are eventually being fired. What kind of response is likely out of the IDF following this barrage of what we're hearing right now of around 20 rockets so far being sent in just the last short while? I think we can expect some kind of a response from Israel, of course, being from the air. Tank missiles, it depends a lot on what happens on the ground if there's extensive damage or many casualties for the time being. We're not hearing any of that, perhaps a person being injured. These are initial reports. We may change, of course. We will see some kind of retaliation from Israel. Will Hamas join in? Will Hamas not join in? A very big question there. We'll be coming back to our defense correspondent, Jonathan Reggae, for more updates. Thank you right now, Jonathan, for that insight. Now, for more, we bring in Palestinian Affairs expert, Colonel in the Reserves, Alon Eviatar, former advisor to Kogak, coordinator for government activities in the territories. This can't come as a huge surprise along what we are seeing right now. We're hearing, though, this barrage is big around 20 rockets sent from the Gaza Strip towards Israel in just the last short while. First, Benita, but I can say that or admit that it was expected. You know, in the prison, Hader Adnan decided to go on a hunger strike. And in the end of the day, he is responsible for himself. The Israeli government or the Israeli would say policy cannot feed him by force. The Israeli side offered few times to feed him, to give him food and medical care as well and other checks. But Adnan refused by all means. In the end of the day, it was expected. I think that as much as I remember in the past, this is the first time that the Palestinian prisoner who decided on a hunger strike is dead in the end of the day. So I think that during the last years, the Israeli side tried to prevent any case like was last day. But now we don't have any other choice. And while it's happened, now the Israeli side should prevent, I would say, wide escalation circle, which means to leave out Hamas out of the game, to leave the Fatah out of the game, and to force and challenge just the Islamic jihad in Gaza Strip, which is the organization that is responsible on the launching rocket right now. I think that Israel should minimize the option for escalation wave even in the prisons. So we have two, I would say, hot arenas. One is the prison in the Israeli side with all those security prisoners in all of those prisons and in Gaza Strip. Those two arenas are, let's say, a take part in the last tension. And the Israeli side should prevent any option for a wide escalation. Alon, just in terms of an update, new information coming in. Obviously, this is a breaking news developing situation. We're hearing it's around 15 rockets that have been fired so far from the Gaza Strip towards Israeli territory. Two impacts at this juncture, one a factory and one a home. And obviously, we will keep bringing new information as it becomes available. Give us an idea, though, for people watching potentially from abroad. The difference it makes when these rockets actually do have an impact and hit a home, a factory somewhere where innocent civilians could be hurt? Well, for sure, that the iron dome should do the job. But generally, we are speaking about more than 90% of the success. It means that maybe we hope no. But maybe one of those rockets will cause damage. More than casualties. If there will be Israeli casualties in the south front, I think in the Negev and so on, one of the Kibbutz for sure, I think that the Israeli side will respond more than we knew till now. I mean, not just by airplanes, but also by tanks. Maybe more of that. I think that all depends on the results, on the question of the casualties, if there will be. And I think that the Israeli side also should, in the meantime, send messages to the headquarter of Hamas in Gaza Strait that they are responsible for the events, the development. It means that Israel should put all the responsibility for the last escalation on the Hamas' shoulders to force them and force them to take part in this, I would say, not escalation, but in this development. It means that everything till now is depend on the results in the Israeli side if there will be, I would say, a wide escalation wave and so on, and more launching rockets from the Gaza Strait. It means that we are in the beginning of a wide wave of escalation. I want to mention another thing. We should remember that during the last months, we knew on, I would say, two arenas that goes together, the north and the south. It means that if the Islamic jihad will, I would say, put pressure on Hezbollah, for example, to launch rockets also from Lebanon, this is part of the scenario that the Israeli side should prepare itself. Well, certainly it was something that many security experts, including yourself, had flagged the potential of threats coming on different friends potentially at the same time right now. We are focusing very much on what is unfolding out of the Gaza Strip. Along your take, we're looking right now at images. We can see these interceptions, these rockets coming through. They are being intercepted by the Iron Dome. Talk to us about the fact that this is happening in broad daylight right now. The significance of that one might have thought that a barrage like this would happen when it was dark. Well, there are differences between the times, between the light and the dark, of course, the day and the night. I think that for the airplanes and for the Iron Dome units, it's easier to prevent and to heat those rockets on air without letting them come to any goal or to any target on the ground. Sorry, and I think that we have experience. We have a long experience with the Iron Dome. It means that the Iron Dome doesn't shoot any missile or rockets if it goes to a field or open space or a place without any people. And you don't spend just Iron Dome rockets without any case. So I think that in the meantime or till now, so far, I think that the Iron Dome do, I would say, a good job. With high percent, it means more than 90 percent. And the question is what will be during the next days, if I remember, I mentioned again, if one or two of those missiles will land on a, let's say, kindergarten or something or our house with the people and residents, this will be, I would say, the next step of the escalation. We are hearing unconfirmed reports right now that one person has been hurt. An unconfirmed report we will, of course, be bringing confirmation as soon as our newsroom can confirm as much right now. Palestinian Affairs Expert Colonel on the Reserves Alon Eviatar, former advisor to Kogat, the coordinator for government's activities in the territories. We appreciate you speaking to us for this breaking news edition. Thank you so much. If you're just joining us, breaking news, siren sounding in southern Israel near the Gaza border right now, warning of incoming rockets or projectiles from the Gaza Strip, multiple interceptions have been reported in the last few moments. At least 15 rockets have been sent so far towards Israeli territory. We are taking a very short break now, but our breaking news coverage continues. In just a short while, so don't go anywhere. This is I-24 News, breaking news edition. Stay tuned. Organism that pulsates through millennia. Listen to it. Smell it. Taste it. Experience the holy land like never before. Holy land uncovered every Sunday only on I-24 News. We all just want answers on our essence, right? Linear points in time, past, present, future, and you should see the present as a present. But maybe the now is not a snapshot, but an entire film. Identity is not a prefix that is derived from interaction, from the ever dynamic connections we're making. It can only go so far from the lens of the individual. The only way to grasp the greater world you need to engage in this globalized world. It's not about the being, but about the becoming. Middle East is changing. Old alliances make way for new partnerships. 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Shalom and welcome to Jewish World Weekly. I'm Caleb Bendevede, and each week, we're gonna bring you the latest from the Jewish world, from politics to religion, entertainment to the latest trends, and everything in between. Join me each week as we explore the global Jewish diaspora. Don't miss Jewish World Weekly only on I-24 News. News coverage continues. I'm Benita Levine, live in Tel Aviv. Siren sounding in southern Israel, near the Gaza border in the last hour. Warning of incoming rockets and projectiles from the Gaza Strip. Multiple interceptions have been reported in the last while. Siren sounding in Storot, Ibn-Niram Sufa, near Yitzchak, and stay of Raham amongst others. Confirmation of at least 22 rockets being fired towards Israel. There are reports that one person has been seriously injured in Storot. That is not yet confirmed. Two impacts have been confirmed. One in a factory and the second at a house. The IDF saying that people need to stay in shelters. This all coming after a high-profile Palestinian terrorist died in Israeli custody this morning after being on hunger strike for nearly three months. Right now, let's find out what's happening on the ground. We bring in our correspondent, Pierre Kloschendler. He is on his way to the Israel-Gaza border. And Pierre, we have confirmation just moments ago at least 22 rockets have been fired from Gaza towards Israeli territory. What is the latest? Yes, it has been that several rockets have crashed or been intercepted in the vicinity of the Gaza border on Israeli territory. We've seen by ourselves five interceptions, white clouds in the sky, but two rockets have been according to the municipality of Derot, which is about five, six kilometers away from the border, that there were two falls. In the city, one in the home, as you mentioned, another in a factory. There is smoke flowing from that factory. It seems, in which a 25-year-old fine worker was seriously wounded and their medicine and medicine are just trying to take care of the man and bring him to the hospital in Barcelona at this moment. Thank you so much. I'll correspondent Pierre Kloschendler for that update. We will be coming back to Pierre, of course, in our upcoming broadcast right now. Let's speak to a resident from Kibbutz, Mufal Sim. We welcome Nogar Gilst. Thank you so much, Nogar, for speaking to us at this very frightening time. No doubt, talk to us about your experience when you heard the sirens. Tell us what happened. Well, two minutes before we got the instruction by the WhatsApp and all the other options, saying, stay next to a safe room. I was at home, so that wasn't an issue, but the siren didn't take off at my place, but the next Kibbutz, Niram, and Sderot. And actually, what we hear in my Kibbutz is the iron dome, which is much more frightening because the explosion just sounds. And for me, sitting at home, I was jumping all over. I was alone at home. My husband was stuck at work because they got an order not to get out to come home. Mostly frightening. He was in a good hope that the two missiles that we had in the morning will be the end of it. After we'll finish here, I'm going to organize my safe room to sleep over there tonight. I have other Zoom meetings tonight, so the computer will move there and we'll move into the safe room for the rest of the day. It certainly is a situation that is not a normal one for people to try and comprehend watching from afar. Give us an idea when you do hear those sirens, how long you and your family and your community have to actually get to shelters. It's far quicker that time span than it is for other parts of the country. It said 15 seconds, but it's actually between 5 to 10 seconds. Now, I live in a very small house, so it's not a big deal. I will get there in 5 seconds if it's during daytime. But yeah, it's 5 seconds and we need to be in the safe room, not longer than that. It certainly is a very scary situation. Nourga Gilst, thank you so much for speaking to us live from Kibbutz, Mithal Sim. Be safe and may your family be safe as well. Thank you, Nourga. Thank you. Right now, let's bring in again Palestinian Affairs Expert Colonel in the Reserves Alon Eviatar, former advisor to Kogat, the coordinator for government activities in the territories. And now we know confirmation at least 22 rockets Alon have been sent from the Gaza Strip towards Israeli territory. Most have been intercepted. We are hearing of one injury at this juncture. Talk to us about, given your experience, the likely response out of Israel given this barrage. I think that so far in a few hours for the morning, just by Islamic jihad, the entire organization, we say a big quantity or a number, I think that 22 so far by the Islamic jihad, it means that they're ready for extension. They're ready for the next days. And we have to remember, Benita, that the second arena or the other arena it is not just the south front, which means the Gaza Strip and the Negev, but also the prisons. I can assume that during the next days, maybe even today, the Palestinian prisoners in the Israeli prison which want to identify with Qadir Adnan, which became a symbol, is now the new symbol, the new symbol of the Palestinian struggle. They want to identify, they want to join, they will want to join the new development, the escalation, and I can assume that during the next hours or days, there will be, I would say, like alarms or I would say information about Palestinian prisoners that plan to hit Israeli team in the prison's services. It means that we have on the table, on the ground, two risky arenas, Gaza Strip and the prisons. I would say that the Israeli headquarters or the Israeli organizations, security organizations, should prevent also option of escalation also in East Jerusalem. Qadir Adnan is a known Palestinian prisoner, not just from today. I can remember him during the last 15 years that he was one of the leaders in the Israeli prisons and he was leader of the Islamic jihad in the prisons and now he is the new symbol and therefore I can assume that we are in the beginning of wide violence escalation or wave, but I can put, I would say, the current assumption that the Israeli side should also put the responsibility for the next days on the Hamas headquarters in Gaza and to try to calm down the situation unless we are in the beginning of, I would say, negative trend. Very briefly, we have a short time until our next break. You mentioned that leaders need to try and calm the situation. What kind of talks need to be happening right now? Briefly please, Alon. Israel should first separate between the arenas, the different arenas, separate between the development in the south and the option of development in the prisons and send messages to Egypt, to other elements, other factors on the ground in order to prevent the option of escalation. This is on the same time that Israel should respond to those rockets which come from Gaza. Palestinian Affairs expert Kern on the reserves Alon Eviatar, former advisor to Kogat, coordinator for government activities in the territory. Thank you so much for your insight and we do have confirmation that that person who has been injured is a foreigner, not from this country. The person injured so far from that rocket fire is not from this country. We will have more details coming up after a very short break. If you're just joining us now, there are 32 rockets fired from Gaza towards Israel. Back in a bit, this is breaking news edition. Don't go anywhere, stay tuned. 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At least 22 rockets have been fired towards Israel and one person has been seriously injured in Storot. With me in studio, our senior correspondent, Owen Ultiman. There were concerns of a potential uptick right now and then concerns, as we heard just a short while ago from Alon Ebiatar about rioting or unrest within prisons. Give us context to the tensions that are unfolding across the country right now. Yeah, as we've become accustomed to in recent escalations, Benita, a concern about a number of different fronts acting at once. And as again, what we heard from Alon Ebiatar, obviously, we'll have to see what comes up in the next few hours. You know, to borrow a saying about economists, Benita, who have predicted five of the last three recessions, we have experts who have predicted six of the last two Intifadas and 10 of the last five escalations. So not every uptick leads to something extremely dramatic. And again, I think it's important for all of us to keep that in mind. On the other hand, obviously no one in Israel should be complacent about the potential for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to escalate, including much of what's happening and to work both to protect the country as needed to act against those firing at Israel and also to use other tools, tools of diplomacy and contacts to try to calm the situation. We've seen the Israeli government and Israeli policymakers do all of that in recent months. I think to relative success in terms of what the alternative could have been in terms of some kind of dramatic escalation or even Intifada in this conflict and one would hope that that would happen again. I did notice that it was a statement issued not only by Islamic Jihad Benidah saying that this was a response to the hunger strike and the death but Hamas and Islamic Jihad so Hamas at least putting itself on Islamic Jihad's side in terms of endorsing what has happened at least up until this point and implying that it was done not against their will but very much with their blessing. And in this case with their explicit blessing, we haven't seen that in every case in which Islamic Jihad has acted out of Gaza so I do think that's noteworthy in terms of how far this will develop how much Hamas would like to see this escalate obviously that remains to be seen all of us are going to be watching that along of course with what the grassroots has to say including as Alona Bitar correctly said I think what the grassroots if you will quote unquote has to say within the Israeli prison system. We certainly will be unpacking exactly what various leaders are saying about this latest development right now though I want to bring in Nadav Matsner he is the deputy spokesperson for MADDA again David Adam emergency responses Nadav thank you so much for speaking to us. What update can you share with us right now? MDA is on a high alert coordinate with the IDF and the police and we got the call for few locations in the area of the road in one of the places the construction site we found three wounded one severe condition one two mild three of them from Sharpan and wounded probably of the rocket they are not in Israel probably from the area of Asia MDA paramedics are taking care of them now on the way to the Bofili hospital in the Askelund we certainly will be checking in for updates on his condition Nadav your teams have been out and about you are used to these kinds of situations unfortunately what kind of advice would you give to people when they hear the sirens that they need to get to shelters quickly the dangers and the risks of somebody not responding quickly to those warnings for people to get to safety first of all to listen to the advice of the front home command you need to be your best to be in a risk place to shelter to a safe place but if you can't go to a safe place lay down on the ground put your hands above your head keep safe of your head in the corner near a wall or something like this don't go don't look for the rockets don't go outside while the sirens are on and try to look and try to understand because you need to understand even if the rocket will bump above on the sky something could fall down and hit you you need to stay on the shelter the 10 minutes that the home front command is asking this is a saving life instruction and we're asking the public to do specific those instructions and Nadav are you calling for more volunteers from your organization to come forward in times like this do you bolster your teams when you know the tensions are high like this on the ground in southern Israel as we speak for now volunteers and employees in the the ROT region and the entire area are more than enough if something will increase if case we need we'll do our best to move some volunteers from here to there but for now we have enough MD paramedics medics and doctors in the area of the ROT and all around the Gaza. Thank you so much for speaking to us. Nadav Matsna deputy spokesperson for Magin David Adam thank you to all the volunteers who help keep people safe at times like this still with me in studio right now our senior correspondent Owen Ultiman keeping tabs on all the latest developments and Owen Benjamin Netanyahu saying just a short while ago confirmation that there will be a security assessment at around 5 30 no doubt lots for him to be pondering in terms of what steps to take next. Right and of course there is more until then again at 5 30 local times just more than an hour from now and obviously they'll be watching what develops up until the beginning of that assessment again it bears repeating and bears reminding our viewers that Benjamin Netanyahu has proven over the course of his long tenure or should we say 10 years as Israeli prime minister to be very very risk averse in terms of how he handles conflict and how he handles military operations especially how he handles the Gaza Strip so again he's a risk averse in terms of how he approaches situations such as this one one would imagine that he will be risk averse in this situation as well and not rush headlong toward an escalation obviously he'll want to hear and that's why he's calling the meeting to hear from the security chiefs of the various branches and from the intelligence services to again assess the situation I'm sure to get their recommendations and then to move forward including moving forward within Israel security cabinet should that be needed and including a security cabinet with a lot of diverse set of personalities in this government but again an Israeli prime minister has proved himself to be cautious and risk averse in these situations I do want to go back to something else that we heard from the Magendavida from the Magendavida Dome deputy spokesperson who confirmed this foreign workers are the ones who are injured you know not for the first time that we've seen foreign workers again sharing the security risks of working and living here so maybe two years ago about a woman from India who was a caregiver I believe in sterot who was killed in the 2021 military operation and again a reminder that those people who work in this country who care for Israel's elderly who work in construction sites construction site is not a kind of place where you can rush to a safe room as we heard from our guest from Kibbutz these are people who are exposed who are bearing in some sense the security risks of Israel as they live here and as they I think deserve our attention and our respect and our honor. Certainly is very upsetting when anyone is hurt a terrifying situation for people near the Gaza Strip right now when those sirens are sounding they have so little time to get to shelter and obviously we'll keep bringing you updates on the condition of that man who has been taken to hospital right now let's go back to our defense correspondent Jonathan Regev keeping tabs on all the latest developments Jonathan what update have you got right now? Yes so 22 rockets overall sent into Israel we're hearing of five different impacts though most of them we have to say are in open areas and this this is the latest information now of course the ball has been moved into the Israeli side I will Benjamin Netanyahu and our defense minister you have got to react there were instances in the past under this government in which Israel refrained from responding this will not be the case this time Israel cannot sit by quietly even if Israel is not interested in an escalation it cannot pass by quietly 22 rockets are being sent as a man Israeli or not is injured and therefore we can get some kind of a response that response will probably determine where exactly we're going this is a very interesting question Israel does not have an interest in escalation but again not responding to such an attack will send a very strong message of a weakness to the other side and so much has been made Jonathan in recent weeks about the fact that Israel has been looking weaker given the divisions in the country within the leadership in the country talk to us about the fact that this was actually predicted on some level that many security experts have flagged the fact that the divisions within the country were sparking a weakness a new front from Israel not looking as tough and strong as it used to talk to us about the impact here on that front well true or not of course that's a question to be asked but the other side is clearly seeing this division as a weakness understanding that the greatest power that Israel always had is it's a unity and now that unity is perhaps not seen there anymore and this could perhaps be seen as a weakness it may be true on the sidelines but if Israel goes into a major military confrontation I think we will see the idea as strong as ever. Over and above the concerns around what's happening with rocket fire out of the Gaza Strip also flag right now the potential for unrest, protest, rioting within prisons right now are security experts equipped is there a confidence that Israeli wardens people in prisons are able to handle any eventuality within the prisons right now given what's unfolding on the ground yes that is a concern because the issue of the very strong issue for the Palestinian society and we saw how the death of one prisoner is part of the latest wave of violence and yes violence can erupt in many places in the West Bank in Gaza as we've already seen even in the Israeli Arab sector a very concerning issue clearly. As you well know much was made of the fact that Benjamin Nityanya who had fired his defense minister Joav Garland then didn't really fire him he was back on the agenda they have worked together many times in the past in situations like this it definitely needs to be a united front right now when it comes to a response on the security front when they have their assessment in around an hour from now Yes the security cabinet is said to be convening at 5 30 local time exactly an hour away you asked me previously about weakness here we see weakness in the defense minister firing the defense minister for making comments that he didn't really like and then unfiring him and seeing him in his position but clearly there's still bad blood between the two and these are the two men in charge of Israel's security establishment now they have to work together Joav Garland is still in his role that does not send a very good message about Israel above we will be bringing you details out of that security briefing when it does happen for now thank you so much to our defense correspondent Jonathan Regev we will be coming back to Jonathan of course and our peer Klaus Schindler on the ground on the Israel Gaza border as our coverage continues right now though we are going to be taking a very short break if you are just joining us our breaking news coverage continues siren sounding in the past a warning of incoming rockets or projectiles from the Gaza Strip at least 22 rockets fired from Gaza towards Israeli territory one person has been injured we are taking a very short break don't go anywhere back in a bit imagine being able to see into the future we can take you there what innovations will change the world as we know it what can you get the most bang for your buck I'm Natasha Kirchuk journalist, traveler and the host of Israel business beat join us as we meet the people changing our planet and discover the inventions shaping tomorrow Israel business beat Sundays and Wednesdays 9 30 p.m. GMT news radio now you can listen to i20 for news radio is the audio live stream of the television network with world headlines every 30 minutes starting from 7 a.m. tune in for top news magazine traditions while in the car in your office join us from your smartphone tablet or desktop to stay connected in the middle east and around the world don't wait any longer head to our website or mobile application and click on i20 for news radio the media that pulsates through millennia touch it listen to it smell it taste it experience the holy land like never before holy land uncovered every Sunday only on i20 for news the middle east is changing old alliances make way for new partnerships bigger threats lead to new relationships and shared goals and new opportunities we speak to those who know the inside story and are at the heart of the changes don't get caught up with the same old story find out what's happening in middle east now middle east now on i20 for news by midnight tonight thieves will have stolen 2,400 vehicles across the US today so when you buy your next car ask your dealer for recover with recover you'll always be able to find a forgotten parking spot or know if your car gets towed without your permission and most importantly you'll be able to easily share your car's location with police so they can recover it for you stay in control and protect what's yours ask your dealer for recover today news coverage continues I'm Benita Levine in Tel Aviv siren sounding in southern Israel near the Gaza border in the past our warning of incoming rockets from the Gaza Strip multiple interceptions reported in the last hour siren sounding in theStraut Ibn niram so far niri tchak and stay Abraham amongst others at least 22 rockets have been fired towards Israel one person has been seriously injured in strawhe is a foreign national and as we heard just a short while ago from madd emergency teams he has been taken to hospital two rockets have made impact 1 at a factory and the 2nd a house. The IDF calling for people to stay in shelters. This all coming after a high-profile Palestinian terrorist died in Israeli custody this morning after being on hunger strike for nearly three months. Israel's prison service announcing earlier the Khadar Adnan, a leader in the Islamic Jihad militant group, is the first Palestinian prisoner to die of a hunger strike. His death had raised concerns of renewed violence between Israel and Palestinian terror groups in Gaza, and it seems those concerns were justified here in studio with me, our senior correspondent, Owen Ultiman. Experts had predicted as much. There are tensions across the region right now. There were concerns about threats on several fronts right now. The focus is across the Gaza Strip. Yeah, obviously, given what we've seen over the course of the last hour, but as we've heard from our guests, it's not necessarily going to be contained to the front of the Gaza Strip. And as one of our guests, Alonno Vietar mentioned earlier in the broadcast, concerned about what could happen in the Israeli prison system. And obviously, given that the episode itself happened in the prison system by a prisoner, it stands to reason that other prisoners could feel a sense of solidarity and could try to act within the prisons. One would imagine that that's one of the fronts that would least concern security officials given that it's contained in prisons. But obviously, any escalation on one front, including the prisons, obviously can have an effect on others. And we've seen this dynamic of multiple fronts acting in unison and that being part of the strategy of these groups over the last few months. So obviously that's concerning, I'm sure, security experts. That said, as we've also seen over the past few months, there are incentives on the other side, on the side in the Gaza Strip, to try to contain escalations. And that's something that Israel could exploit. Obviously, one would imagine that the Israeli government and Israeli military want to respond in some way to what's happened. But if the past is prelude and it shows us the pattern of what we can expect in the present and future, we'll also see the Israeli government using diplomatic tools and using contacts through others to Hamas to try to contain the situation and to try to de-escalate at some stage. And again, this was an Islamic Jihad prisoner, not a Hamas prisoner, which again is a factor that could lean towards a de-escalation. But of course, all of that is something we'll have to watch over the coming hours. Senior correspondent Owen Ultiman, stay with us right now. You mentioned finding out what security experts are thinking. We bring in Lieutenant Colonel in the reserve, Doron Avital, former commander of the Special Forces in the IDF. Doron, thank you so much for speaking to us. At least 22 rockets fired from Gaza into Israel in the past hour or so. Your reaction? We've been discussing it already in the morning. The fear was, of course, that the cycle of escalation would start. The question is whether this is a spark for a further bigger escalation or whether this can be contained, whether this exchange would be only a symbolic exchange between us and Hamas. What is very worrisome is the fact that Hamas is now part of the game. It's not only the Islamic Jihad. Hamas takes a position in the front now. So we'll have to see for sure. It's not in the interest of us, not of Hamas to go into a further escalation, but things can get out of hand. It's worth noting the plea by the wife of the prisoner that died not to go to a further escalation. It's worth to note it, but the situation on the ground can take us everywhere into even a further escalation right now. And the situation on the ground is clearly unfolding as we speak right now. We know that Benjamin Netanyahu is meeting with his security team in under an hour from now. Given your experience in situations like this, what are the realistic options right now for Israel? First of all, there's a major decision that he has to make about returning the body of the prisoner that died and the question of the funeral that will take place in Jenin and the conduct of this funeral. So this is a major issue they have to answer. Of course, there's all the military options, whether to react strongly now or in what would be the target to aim to. And of course, the diplomatic trajectory through Egypt to try to, even if there is a further escalation to try to contain it and not to go to a full blown campaign. So I think this is the three levels of the three decisions that are on table right now. Over and above Egypt, are there any other players right now who could realistically serve as some kind of go between some kind of voice of reason amongst all protagonists in this region right now to calm tensions right now? So there isn't an escalation. You say nobody wants an escalation, but the situation is very volatile as we speak. I think there are many other players, but I think Egypt is the major player. Egypt is there. Egypt is our partner in peace. And also Egypt doesn't have any interest in any escalation in the Gaza Strip. And I think they listen Hamas for sure listen to the to the Egyptian and to the Arab countries that behind any Egyptian initiative, like the Saudi Arabians and so on. So I think Egypt is the player right now in the diplomatic connection with the Egyptian intelligence corps and the generals and the official the Egyptian official. This is the main venue. Lieutenant Colonel the reserve, Zaron Avital, former commander of the Special Forces in the IDF. Thank you so much for your insight at this time. Our breaking news coverage continues. Thank you. And right now let's go to our correspondent, Pierre Closhendlay. He joins us live from Storot. Pierre, what update have you got right now? Well, we know from Israel police that there are three wounded in Sderot, one who is seriously wounded, a fine worker, and two others who've been stricken with anxiety because of the one of the rocket falls. We're just near another rocket fall just here on an open area just in the vicinity of the northern part of Sderot. And you can see there's a fire right now. And Ahmad El Alami is going to show you the firefighters are getting ready to extinguish the fire. They're here and look how close the buildings of Sderot are from that fire and from that rocket impact. So it's one of the rockets that provoked only minor damage. But in Sderot itself, Sderot was stricken by one rocket that fell on a factory and wounded seriously, one fine worker. So the city is, of course, used to being stricken by rockets. But this time, it seems, according to Israel police, that two or three rockets fell on the city and the Iron Dome anti-missile system did not seem to be able to intercept those rockets. Pierre, we understand that before this rocket fire, this barrage, the IDF had told people near the Gaza Strip where you are to stay in shelters, to stay in protected areas. Is that still the case? Is that instruction still holding right now? No, it's not the case any longer. The army as the home front command of the Israeli army has instructed the population that they can get out of the shelters, but we've been crisscrossing the city of Sderot. And it looks pretty much like a ghost town at this point. People are still in their shelters, in their private shelters, it seems, because even if the army may have some intelligence that this incident is over, at least for the time being, people just take extra precautions and they stay in their private shelters in their homes listening to radio or just looking at their applications to get a better understanding about what's going on right now. A terrifying time for people in that part of the country. Thank you so much to our correspondent Pierre Klotschendler in Sderot. We will be coming back to Pierre. Of course, thank you Pierre for that update. Stay safe. While we're taking a very short break, but our breaking news coverage continues in just two minutes, so make sure you stay tuned. Our team of reporters is out and about with live updates as they unfold. Siren sounding in southern Israel near the Gaza border in the past hour, confirmation that at least 22 rockets have been fired from Gaza into Israel. Our coverage continues. Stay tuned back in two minutes. If you could travel to the Middle East right now without packing and without a plane ticket, would you? We are in Tel Aviv, Israel. Welcome to i24 News Digital. Here we bring Israel and the entire Middle East right to your social networks. On your phone, on your desktop. Here, i24 News creates videos especially made for social media. And believe me, we are out there working hard. Right here. Israel and Nepal. For the very first time. Is how they begin. Making original content, streaming live, even in the hard moments. There are literally rockets flying off them in a bomb shelter. And filming docuseries. With us, you will find all the big stories you missed on television. So join i24 News on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube and discover the Middle East with us. Inside of political and religious passions in Jerusalem, breaking down the financial trends shaping the global economy, giving you key context, not just headlines. With the stories from Israel that touch the U.S. and those across the region with impact far beyond its borders. Hatch the runder that the Middle East meets the world. Our breaking news coverage continues. Siren sounding in southern Israel near the Gaza border in the past hour. Warning of incoming rockets from the Gaza Strip. Several interceptions reported in the last hour. Siren sounding in several spots, including Storot, Ibn, Niram, Sufa, Nirietschak and Stey Avraham. At least 22 rockets fired towards Israeli territory. One person has been moderately injured in Storot. That's an update coming through just a short while ago. That foreign national, a construction worker who was taken to hospital, his condition is confirmed as moderate. Two rockets making impact. One at a factory and the second at a house. The IDF saying earlier that people need to stay in shelters. Our correspondent on the ground, Pierre Kloschendler, confirming that that instruction is no longer in place at this juncture. Of course, they could all change this all coming after a high-profile Palestinian terrorist died in Israeli custody this morning, after being on hunger strike for nearly three months. Still with me in studio, our senior correspondent Owen Ultiman. So we've been speaking to a range of security experts since this broadcast started and real concerns about what Israel is going to do next. There are options this meeting happening in around 45 minutes, headed by Benjamin Netanyahu. But he has a lot of pressure to make sure that the country looks strong and united right now. Well, yeah, right. A few things. Number one, as we said earlier in the broadcast, being just a word of warning to viewers, and I think all of us have imbibed this over the course of the last few months and years. It's said that economists have predicted five of the last three recessions. Well, Israeli security experts have predicted six of the last two Intifadas and 10 of the last four escalations. So not every time that there's an escalation or let alone an Intifada predicted, does it actually come to pass? On the other hand, obviously, none of us should be complacent about the ability of the Israeli Palestinian conflict to escalate, and all of us should be watchful over what happens. But again, not to get our head of ourselves about where all of this could go, especially because, again, we're about an hour away from that security assessment to be held by Prime Minister Netanyahu. This is a Prime Minister over the course of his time in office or times in office, if you were, has shown himself to be cautious and risk averse in terms of how he approaches military operations, especially with Gaza. He is, as usual, often happens, and it's natural to see this, under pressure now from certain quarters. The mayor of Sterot told Israel's Channel 3 television that it's enough with the laundering of words and the Prime Minister needs to forcefully to eliminate terror. Obviously, history has shown that that's easier said than done when approaching the Gaza Strip. And this is a problem that, from Israel's perspective, doesn't have any immediate solution. If there were an immediate solution, it would have been tried long ago. And so I suspect the government will go back to its default of trying a kind of containment rather than any kind of elimination. But again, obviously the Prime Minister will want to look at all options. After this issue of unity in the society, and here I disagree with many others, I don't think this should be a big focus for us. Yes, it's true we've had a lot of protests. Yes, it's true there's been a vigorous and sometimes ugly debate over the judicial overhaul here in Israel in the past few months. But everyone understands that when it comes to the defense of the country, that this obviously it's in the interest of both camps and the interest of the society to be united. Nobody has any interest to be divided over the idea of whether to fight Hamas and how to fight Hamas and whether to win a war against Hamas should one come to pass. Obviously there are disagreements tactically and strategically about what to do, but that doesn't have much to do with the judicial overhaul. I suspect that when it comes to the military and the security services and the intelligence services, there is a significant amount of trust that again spans party lines and spans the lines of the camps and the judicial overhaul. Maybe there's some erroneous perception in Beirut or in Gaza that Israel is about to fall and disappear because Israelis are divided. Obviously that's ridiculous and I think that frankly does gives a lack of credit to Hassan Nasrallah and to the leaders of Hamas. Well I think you have a much more sophisticated understanding of Israel than that and if they don't, well obviously that's great for Israel because they certainly don't understand this country. Again one other thing to watch and our guests have mentioned this as well, obviously to keep our eye on Hamas. This is in some sense an Islamic jihad event because it's an Islamic jihad prisoner who died from that hunger strike but Hamas has now put its name to this rocket fire by putting itself behind a joint statement with Islamic jihad and essentially giving this its explicit blessing. The question I think going forward is how much does Hamas as opposed to Islamic jihad want to see this escalate if the past is any guide to the present and assuredly it is that's going to be a real factor in determining where things go. What exactly Hamas wants to see not so much what exactly Islamic jihad wants to see because Hamas again still really holds the balance of power in the cards in terms of how Gaza is run and what a group like Islamic jihad is able to do and how they're able to operate. And when it specifically comes to potential unrest at prisons right now this is a concern that has been flagged throughout the day right now that rocket fire happening about an hour or so ago there's often a response to a barrage like this what are the concerns right now about containing the situation so that there isn't some kind of unrest that authorities aren't able to handle plus it takes their eye off the ball when the focus is right now across Gaza. Yeah obviously this is something we've heard from our guests is going to be a concern I'm sure the Israeli prison service has plans on how to manage this I don't think anyone in the Israeli prison service wanted to see the result although it has to be said of a hunger strike or dying there may not have been much of an alternative if the person was refusing medical treatment there may not be much that could have been done to prevent it one would hope the prison services has the tools that it needs and the training that it needs and the planning that it needs in order to contain anything that might happen in the prison just standing on the sides again I defer to the experts on this it seems to me it seems to me that of all the potential fronts this is the one that would least concern me because again it's inside a prison it's containable but again I defer to what experts have to say on this and obviously an escalation in one front can lead an escalation on others potentially and obviously that would be a greater concern Benjamin Netanyahu is going to be meeting with his team shortly is it important that he make some kind of announcement to the country afterwards I don't know I assume there will be some kind of statement coming out of the security assessment we've already seen a statement a short statement uh albeit coming out of the assessment that defense minister Yov Galant held with the IDF chief of staff her it's the uh her it's the uh levy and you know it said that whoever tries to harm Israeli citizens uh will be sorry again the kind of rhetoric we're accustomed to hearing from the Israeli military one can understand why whether we'll hear anything concrete from Benjamin Netanyahu I don't know I suspect he'll try to put debate the political pressure from the mayor of Storot and from others within Netanyahu the coup party especially but not only for a more forceful action I think the prime minister hopefully will try to sell uh again a sense of caution and risk aversion senior correspondent Owen Ultiman thank you so much and talking of Storot in southern Israel we now welcome a resident Atara Atara thank you so much for joining us right now it looks like you are indoors safely talk to us about what happened when you heard the sirens what did you do what did your family do I was in a shelter so I didn't have a problem but I was thinking of my oldest daughter who's uh expecting and has three little children and uh I really heard from her she was outside three thirties the hour when you go take children from Kindeladen there's three little ones and she was outside with them they heard the red alert and they didn't have a shelter room near there she ran with her three screaming children near a wall and prayed that's what they did and sang and prayed and told she it was not far from where we live not near her house so she came to us afterwards and uh yeah I was I really was thinking about her and I knew that it would be difficult for her more than for myself terrifying for anyone but if you're pregnant and you're running with three small children all the more frightening good to know that they did get to shelter and did get to safety atara this is a situation residents where you are are sadly very used to how do you prepare now for nightfall in the coming hours there is a concern of potentially a response out of israel it's not clear obviously what either side is going to do at this juncture how do you as someone living near the border prepare for the night ahead well I was supposed to meet with somebody and I told her not to come I have to change my plans from now to now and I told him not to come it might not be safe and we stay home we try not to leave I mean my husband goes but the children stay at home my daughter won't go home till her husband comes and maybe we'll also help us so they won't be with three children in the same car now and yeah it changes everything I mean all the planning you you suddenly have to change and then afterwards they tell you a message that maybe everything is over and that's also hard to grasp because just a few minutes ago we had to be in a sheltered rooms and there was this red alert and and rockets all over and somebody was injured I understand I didn't even hear the news yet and then they tell you act normally well how could you act normally it's it's just it's like it's like um it's like living like soldiers maybe live but it's we're civilians we're children we're older people I mean it's not not not a normal way to live really certainly not a normal way to live and that update is there was one person who was injured he's in a moderate condition in hospital at the moment stay safe a terror Storot residents speaking to us right now this very difficult time thank you so much for speaking to us on this day stay safe right now we go back to correspondent Pierre Kloschendler he is also in Storot in southern Israel what update have you got what can you tell us Pierre well we can show you the rocket impact in an open area just in the vicinity of Storot which provoked this fire you can see the smoke of that fire and it seems the five fighters are not doing anything right now in order to extinguish the fire this is one rocket impact that you can see that one of the residents of Storot handled to me one man was seriously wounded not in this location this is in an open area we can show you the city of Storot which is just across the street we have a difficult time showing you because of the smoke which is very very thick and dense and we're trying to get a little bit beyond that smoke because it's difficult to breathe right now but in any case this is what happens when rocket four they spread this kind of shot one man was moderately wounded originally he was seriously wounded now it seems his situation his condition is moderate he's been hospitalized in Ashkelon hospital which is about 15 kilometers away from where we are and which is itself by the way often a target of rocket attacks and the man is 25 year old and is a foreign worker who worked in Storot and this is the routine of this city when we came to this place we crossed we criss-crossed Storot looking for the smoke and we saw that the city looked like a ghost town people even though they've been instructed now to get out of the shelters and to return to normal life so to speak you heard the person before before me saying how can you switch from a sense of abnormalcy to a sense of normalcy within seconds because the Israeli home front command instructed people at around 415 to be close to shelter at 430 local time a server of rockets started right and now at five people are returning to their normal life it's a crazy situation it certainly is indeed and updating us from extraordinary circumstances they're live from Storot that's our correspondent Pierre Kloschendler our man on the ground water come from pier of course in our upcoming broadcast that's where we wrap up for now this break