Inserts:

00:03 Report / Tania Krämer
00:25 Bruno / Sderot resident 
01:30 Yariv / Tour guide
02:03 Asher / Israeli army reservist
02:29 Bruno / Sderot resident 

Script:

From this vantage point in Sderot, in southern Israel, the devastating war in northern Gaza can be seen and heard constantly.

Some Israelis come here to watch the relentless bombardment across the border.

Many here support the ground invasion to seize full control of Gaza City, which was launched by the Israeli military on Monday.

+++Bruno, resident Sderot EN++++ 
“You can see Gaza and you can see all the bombs from the IDF, they attack all the terrorists there that have taken the hostages. They have the hostage inside. So for the side of us, it's a little bit good to see that. But from the other side, it's bad for the hostages. They can maybe die from that or something like that. But when I see that what the IDF do for to our country and to the terrorist, it's very good. I support that and we can do it more need we need to attack more in Gaza.”

Sderot, one of the closest cities to the Gaza border, was attacked and overrun by Hamas-led militants on October 7, 2023. 53 people were killed on that day. 

Two years later, 48 hostages are still being held in Gaza. Tour groups visit the vantage point to see the ensuing war in Gaza, from schools to trips for new army recruits.

Some take selfies in front of Gaza’s skyline in the distance. 

+++Yariv, tour guide, EN+++
 “((Everybody wants the hostages back, including me. And at the beginning, I thought to myself, let's get a deal. Let's cut a deal. That's the most. That's the safest thing to do in other. But)) 
we see there's no solution because the other side don't really cooperate. So the IDF has to operate. First of all, we have to eliminate the beast that live half a mile from here. People won't come back to live here if this beast will exist. But I think first we need to cut a deal. Do the deal. Release the hostages, bring them back home." 

Asher is helping out with a tour group. He has spent most of the past two years in Gaza as a reservist, demolishing tunnels, buildings, homes. He asked not to be identified.

+++Asher, reservist, face needs to be blurred+++
"It's a mixed emotions. It's very hard. On the other hand, uh, we want to see, an end to the war. And the only way for the war to end is to get rid of Hamas, who are currently holding all the hostages, and to also, make sure that they can't, you know, pop up again and cause more destruction and hate." 

Others show little consideration for the suffering of Palestinians just a few kilometres away. 

+++Bruno, resident Sderot, EN+++ 
“The people of Gaza? I don't care about that. I don't care. What they did in the seven of October. I don't care anymore from the people of Gaza what they did was evil – I don't think about it.” 

Meanwhile, across the border, hundreds of thousands of Gaza City residents are being forcibly displaced once again and are at risk of losing their city forever.