In Gaza, Palestinians face relentless bombardment by Israel: No safe haven in sight

Unlike in Israel, where advanced warning detectors and an extensive network of bomb shelters protect civilians when Hamas fires rockets, Gaza lacks such high-tech defenses. Maisara Baroud, 47, and his family were fortunate to survive an Israeli airstrike on their apartment building on Monday night due to a neighbor's warning shout from the street.

The neighbor was informed by the Israeli military about an upcoming strike on a nearby residential building. Despite that, the neighbor instructed Baroud and the other 15 family members, consisting of nine children, who resided in Baroud's building, to evacuate. As a result of the initial strike, Baroud's building, along with the other six buildings in the vicinity, suffered extensive damage.

He noted that my building had become uninhabitable - a mere shell of a house. The doors were completely demolished, the exterior walls had disappeared, and the windows were shattered.

Maisara Baroud's building on fire following an Israeli airstrike.

Courtesy Marisara Baroud

Despite the assumptions of Baroud and others that the worst had passed, they returned to the building in order to salvage their belongings. However, just minutes later, the neighbor received another call from the Israeli military warning of an impending follow-up bombing. As a result, the families once again fled for safety. Tragically, a second strike completely destroyed Baroud's home, reducing his building and art studio to rubble.

Living in Gaza without a strong civil defense infrastructure leaves Palestinians vulnerable to the harsh reality of their circumstances. Among the more than 2 million inhabitants, including half being children, the absence of air raid sirens or bomb shelters means they must rely on infrequent phone calls or text messages from the Israeli military to warn them of impending airstrikes. The dire situation leaves them with no safe haven, no shelters, and no refuge, forcing them to seek safety on the streets with gratitude if they are fortunate enough to receive any kind of warning.

The absence of proper protection in Gaza is a stark contrast to the highly efficient civil defense systems of Israel. Israel has been constantly targeted by heavy rocket fire from Hamas, but it possesses sophisticated and advanced defense mechanisms, such as early radar detection and the Iron Dome, to safeguard its citizens during attacks.

In contrast, in Gaza, the effectiveness of call or text alerts is highly uncertain and, at best, residents are only given a few minutes to evacuate. It is often akin to playing a guessing game.

The absence of civil defense has also impacted international humanitarian and medical workers, who are confronted with unpredictable and abrupt alerts about Israel's retaliatory strikes. Doctors Without Borders posted on Tuesday mentioning that certain team members in Gaza are informed via a text message during the wee hours of the night to evacuate their residences.

According to the post, you need to wake up your children in the middle of the night and evacuate your house without taking any of your belongings. Dr. Barbara Zind, a pediatrician from the US who is on a medical mission in Gaza, was speaking to CNN on Tuesday when her interview was disrupted by loud bombings near her hotel. When asked if she could find a safe shelter, she replied, "There are no bomb shelters available here."

Warning phone calls from Israelis are more prone to being overlooked in Gaza due to intermittent power outages caused by rolling blackouts. In addition, the sole power station in the territory ceased operations on Wednesday as a result of Israel imposing a "complete siege," leading to the denial of essential supplies such as food, fuel, water, and electricity.

What remains of Maisara Baroud's building after Israeli airstrikes turned it to rubble.

Courtesy Marisara Baroud

Israel has made significant investments in its civil defense systems to safeguard its civilians from rocket and mortar attacks launched by Hamas and other militant factions in the area. With elaborate and technologically advanced capabilities, Israel strives to ensure the protection of its populace and minimize harm during such incidents. Azriel Bermant, a senior researcher at the Institute of International Relations Prague, highlights Israel's robust and well-structured approach to civil defense.

"It concerns saving lives, boosting morale, and easing the government's burden of deploying ground forces," Bermant explained. "When the government is aware that the public is safeguarded, particularly during times of war, it believes that the public will back its actions."

Significantly, the Israeli Defense Forces have implemented advanced early warning systems that activate sirens whenever rockets are launched towards Israel. These systems possess the capability to estimate the precise impact site of a rocket and trigger a siren in the targeted region, frequently providing residents with sufficient time to seek refuge.

The infrastructure of Israel includes civil defense capabilities. According to Israeli law, all homes, residential buildings, and industrial buildings must have bomb shelters. These shelters are crucial in protecting Israelis during rocket attacks as they provide safe locations to hide when warning sirens sound.

In addition, Israel has effective active defense measures, the most notable being the Iron Dome System. Deployed in 2011, the Iron Dome is designed to intercept incoming projectiles. It utilizes radar to detect rockets and employs a command-and-control system to quickly assess if a projectile poses a threat or is likely to hit an unpopulated area. If the rocket is deemed a threat, the Iron Dome launches missiles from the ground to destroy it in mid-air.

Bermant asserted that missile defense undeniably saves lives and serves as a deterrent. Nevertheless, the system is not infallible. During intense barrages of rockets launched by Hamas, it determines the most significant threats to urban areas and infrastructure, focusing on targeting those. Despite its efforts, some rockets manage to penetrate the defense.

In addition, Israel has implemented a number of public awareness initiatives to educate the public on effective measures in response to air raid sirens. These campaigns aim to inform individuals about where to seek shelter, the limited time available to find cover, and appropriate actions to take if a safe location is not immediately accessible.

In contrast, Gaza lacks the resources to develop defense systems comparable to those in Israel. Despite constructing underground tunnels for their fighters, Hamas has not prioritized the construction of civilian shelters or warning networks.

Since 2007, Gaza has been isolated from the outside world due to an Israeli blockade that restricts the movement of goods through its land, air, and sea. Human Rights Watch has referred to this situation as the "world's largest open-air prison." Tareq Baconi, president of the Palestinian policy network Al-Shabaka, argues that the blockade has heavily damaged Gaza's infrastructure and hindered its ability to develop a functional system with limited access to resources.

Civilians, such as Baroud, are living in fear due to the absence of defenses. Baroud contemplates the wreckage of his building, questioning why his home was targeted. However, he soon realizes that there is no purpose in seeking an explanation.