The Home Front Command (HFC) issued on Sunday updated instructions to Israeli citizens residing in communities located at a distance of up to 40 kilometers from Gaza.
The instructions are in effect until Monday at 6:00 p.m. Israel time, when they may be amended.
Residents of communities located at a distance of up to seven kilometers from Gaza are instructed as follows:
· Upon hearing a siren or an explosion, enter a protected space area (made of reinforced concrete, required in all new housing -ed.) within the time period specified by HFC
· Schools will remain closed on Monday
· No public gatherings are allowed
· Non-essential workers are asked to remain at home
· Shopping centers will be closed
Residents of communities located at a distance of seven to 40 kilometers from Gaza are instructed as follows:
· Upon hearing a siren or an explosion, enter a protected space area within the time period specified by HFC
· Schools will remain closed on Monday
· Public gatherings with more than 100 people, in open or closed areas, are forbidden
· Non-essential workers can go to work without limitations
· Shopping centers can be open without limitations
In the event of a siren, people who are indoors are instructed as follows:
Enter an apartment protected space immediately and close the steel window shutter.
In the absence of an apartment protected space:
Enter the room farthest from the direction of the threat, with the smallest possible number of outside walls, windows and openings;
Close the door and the windows;
Sit on the floor (below the windowsill level) and lean against an interior wall. Do not sit in front of windows;
Upper story residents in a building with no apartment protected space are required to exit to the staircase and descend one floor down. A protected room can be a staircase or a corridor (provided they comply with the above conditions more than other rooms in the house).
People who are outdoors during a siren are instructed as follows:
In a built-up area – enter the nearest building and act according to the instructions for persons taking shelter indoors;
In an exposed area – lie on the ground face-down and cover your head with your hands.
People traveling in a vehicle during a siren are instructed as follows:
Stop by the side of the road, leave the vehicle and enter the nearest structure or cover. If you are unable to reach a structure or shelter within the given period of time, lie on the ground face-down and cover your head with your hands. If neither of the above instructions can be complied with, pull over and remain inside the vehicle for the next 10 minutes.
Following a siren residents are instructed as follows:
After 10 minutes, one may leave the protected area, unless another otherwise instructed. Stay clear of unidentified objects. Should you see a rocket lying on the ground, prevent gathering of bystanders and inform the security forces.
The HFC explained that the reason for lying on the ground and covering one's head if caught outside or in a vehicle is that the statistically greatest danger from rockets is the metal shrapnel flying through the air. There is less chance of being hit when one is flat on the ground and if hit, it is imperative to protect one's head.