On New Year’s Eve, rockets across the Israel-Gaza border light up the sky as people pray for a better tomorrow

As Israel rang in the New Year on Monday, scores of rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip toward Tel Aviv and the southern region of the nation. A minute after the strike in southern Israel at midnight, another one targeted Tel Aviv.

When the missiles were intercepted by Israeli missile defense systems, air raid sirens went out in Tel Aviv. A portion of the revelers who had congregated in the streets to ring in the new year sought refuge.

Outside a Tel Aviv nightclub where he had gone to celebrate with pals, Gabriel Zemelman told AFP, “I was terrified like it was the first time I saw missiles, it’s terrifying.” In a video uploaded on social media, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the military arm of Hamas, claimed responsibility for both strikes. They stated they responded to Israel’s “massacres of civilians” by using M90 rockets.

“NOT A GOOD NEW YEAR”
The strike was verified by the Israeli military. The military said on social media that Hamas “decided to start 2024 by launching a barrage of rockets at Israel.” “Same Hamas terrorism, same year.” Even though Hamas continues to hold 129 Israelis hostage in Gaza, the organization has made the decision to unleash a flurry of missiles against Israel to begin 2024. Until they are all back home, there can be “no joyous” New Year’s,” IDF said on X.

On October 7, an extraordinary assault that claimed almost 1,140 lives in Israel set off the conflict. According to the health ministry controlled by Hamas, Israel has killed at least 21,822 Palestinians during its ongoing bombing of the Gaza Strip, which coincided with the most recent rocket assaults. With a year that could hardly have been more cruel following 12 weeks of an intense Israeli attack, Gazans are not holding out much hope for anything better in 2024.

“I hope for peace.”
According to Reuters, Abu Abdullah al-Agha, a middle-aged Palestinian man whose house in Khan Younis was destroyed and who lost a little niece and nephew in an Israeli air strike, said, “In 2024 I wish to go back to the wreckage of my home, pitch a tent, and live there.” “I want our kids to grow up in a safe and secure environment, go back to school or college, and for people to find employment again,” he said.

Suzan Khader sobbed as she added, “Since October we’ve been struggling in tents in the streets after our homes were demolished.” She hoped that the fighting would stop in the new year. Now since we are all homeless, we live and eat on the streets, die there, and even raise our children there. Our whole family is now homeless. 2023 will be full of problems,” she said.