ISRAEL – OCTOBER 7, 2023 Armed Hamas militants carried out a large-scale attack from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel. The attackers crossed the border by land, air, and sea, and within a few hours attacked military bases, cities, and civilian communities. In total, approximately 1,200 people were killed and hundreds more were abducted as hostages.

One of the characteristic parts of the attack was assaults on civilians who were trying to escape from endangered areas. In many towns and kibbutzim around Gaza, including Sderot, people tried to reach safety by car after rocket attacks began and armed groups broke into the streets.

Militants often ambushed roads and intersections, fired at passing vehicles, searched for civilian cars and stopped them, and in some cases set vehicles on fire or destroyed them with explosives. As a result, some cars became traps for their occupants. People inside were either shot or died in subsequent vehicle fires.