What's inside Israel's safe rooms shielding people from Hamas airstrikes? Israelis speak to WION

The ongoing war initiated by Hamas has now entered its sixth day, and it doesn't seem like it will end soon. Following Hamas' surprise attack on Israel in the early hours of Saturday (Oct 7), Israel is now responding with robust retaliatory strikes on Hamas targets in Gaza, using warplanes to bombard buildings, leaving many urgently seeking safety. 

In the face of this brutality started at the hands of Hamas militants, an intriguing aspect to consider is the recently constructed homes in Israel, equipped with a built-in shelter—a fortified safety room designed to protect against the threat of an airstrike.

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Throughout Israel, residents are using emergency shelters in their homes and public spaces as the war between Israel and Hamas intensifies. Air raid sirens, warning of rocket attacks, blare unexpectedly at all hours, granting Israelis just 60 seconds to find refuge.

Nina Slama, a resident of Ra'anana, shared with WION that there are numerous sirens in Ra'anana throughout the day, prompting people to immediately take refuge in the safe room.  

"When the sirens sound, the goal is to quickly rush to the safe room," and they "must remain inside the reinforced shelter room for at least 10 minutes after the siren ceases. If the siren persists, we must stay there longer. While inside, we can hear the Iron Dome's interceptions. It is very stressful, as it resembles the sound of an explosion," she stated.

She also said that people in her locality are coming together to gather food and supplies for citizens and soldiers based in Southern Israel. Additionally, many families are also welcoming people from the South and organising blood donation camps. 

WATCH: Israeli resident tells WION what it is like to live amid war

While some shelters lack the capacity to accommodate individuals for extended periods due to the absence of toilets and water facilities, others are sufficiently equipped to sustain residents for days at a stretch.

A student from Rehevot (who chose to stay anonymous), told WION that "the structure itself can withstand rocket attacks and shrapnel from rockets. Typically, it is not stocked with food, but the government agency responsible for preparing people in emergencies, known as the HomeFront, issues warnings regarding the necessity to stock essential supplies."

"The room is furnished with an induction platform for cooking/microwaving and provides Wi-Fi. So, if necessary, you can stay in it quite comfortably," he said. 

"There is one on every floor. In case you are away from the shelter you can call HomeFront and they will guide you to the nearest one. If driving, one needs to stop and lie flat on the floor," he added.

It has become customary for Israeli homes to incorporate these specially designed secure rooms following the introduction of a law in 1992 by the Israel Defense Forces' HomeFront Command, which established new civil defence regulations.

These regulations mandated the inclusion of a protected room in every newly constructed building, be it residential, communal, or institutional.

Tel Aviv resident Howard Tobochnik told WION that within these safe rooms, some resemble an extension of the home, occasionally resembling a living room or bedroom, while others are more sparsely furnished. "They typically feature steel doors with reinforced locks, concrete walls, and, if they have windows, they are constructed from shatter-proof glass," he said.

Also read | Hamas terrorist kills elderly woman, family finds video of ghastly act on Facebook

However, Israel's safe rooms are not entirely foolproof in preventing break-ins, and they cannot safeguard citizens who are unable to access them quickly amid the ongoing conflict. Thus far at least 1,300 Israelis have lost their lives, with more than 5,000 injured since the surprise attack. 

Gaza officials say death toll from Israeli airstrikes has reached over 1,500.

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.