A Israeli woman born in the UK has described how she ‘stopped breathing’ after losing touch with her family amid a surprise attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists.
Emma Segev, 50 originally from Eastbourne, now lives near Ashkelon. She says she has lost touch with her family in a Kibbutz that has been infiltrated by Hamas.
Dozens of gunmen from the Islamist militant group infiltrated southern Israel and are occupying several Israeli settlements.
Speaking to the JC from her home, she said: “We are desperately waiting for the news of my sister in law and her four kids.
“They told us that Hamas were outside their door and they could hear Arabic and gunshots, but now things have gone silent.
“I stopped breathing hours ago. Last thing we heard their house is on fire.”
Segev went on to say of Saturday's attack: “This seems to be a very planned and orchestrated attack, they are coming in and out of Gaza taking Israeli civilians into Gaza.
“I do not understand how they have been able to do this. Where is the IDF? Hamas are in control, burning and killing.
“My friend in Sderot says she can see terrorists right now walking past their home. She is petrified that they will come in, she told me that people are coming in and out of Gaza and doing whatever they want. People are having to defend themselves.
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The scene in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon (Photo: Flash 90)
“How the hell did they cross over the border, seems to be hundreds. How did they break a fence and cross the border and drive in? With all that technology we have and not set off an alarm? Hamas has taken control.”
Joshua Hantman, a former advisor to former Israeli PM Ehud Barak, described the attack as "inhumane".
He said: "Hamas has never hidden its Jihadist goals or genocidal aims towards Jews, so while what we’re seeing is too horrible for words, they share their ideological inspiration with ISIS - and this is straight out of that playbook.
"Watching this makes me sick to my stomach. Hostage situations, reports of mothers, kids and even an old lady being kidnapped to Gaza, executions at point blank range.
"I have friends who have been hiding in their basement for 6 hours as terrorists knock on doors of their kibbutz looking for Jews to execute."
Meanwhile, Hamas released a video showing its fighters had captured three men who were dressed in civilian clothes.
"Scenes of Al-Qassam Brigades capturing a number of enemy soldiers in the battle of Al-Aqsa Flood," said a sentence appearing on a black background at the start of the video.
Signs in Hebrew in the background suggested the footage was filmed on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip.
Other videos circulating on social media showed bodies of a number of people in military fatigues as well as dead motorists and passengers on a highway.
