Ashkelon, Israel: The Regina Goren Hotel in Israel's Ashkelon, where the NDTV team had been staying, was hit by a Hamas rocket this evening. While the people are safe, the hotel has sustained some damage. A few cars parked in its compound have been destroyed. The vehicle the NDTV crew was using, is also partially damaged.
Video footage from the spot showed a fire and a huge pit in the compound, broken railings in a balcony, shattered glass windows in rooms and debris in the lobby. The entire hotel was full of smoke.
Shortly after, the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) took over and barricaded the affected areas, while some of the guests were seen moving out, filling bags with just essential items.
The bombing took place as the NDTV team was on their way to the hotel after Hamas threats that airstrikes will begin in Ashkelon. But there was little time for the residents to evacuate.
Since the team landed in Ashkelon -- a coastal city just a few kilometers from the Gaza Strip -- on Sunday night, there have been frequent air raid warnings.
The check-in at the hotel was interrupted by an air raid siren, during which the team had to abandon their luggage and sprint for shelter in the basement.
The rest of the day was dotted with similar experiences. The Hamas rockets, though, were intercepted by the Israeli Iron Dome, a mobile all-weather air defense system that tracks and intercepts missile.
But given the barrage of rockets from the other side, once in a while a rocket managed to slip through.
Located on the Mediterranean coast, Ashkelon, known for its archaeological site and the world's largest seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant, appears deserted today.
The city bore the brunt of the attack on Saturday -- when Hamas launched an air, sea and ground attack -- with many homes lasted by Hamas rockets. The hospitals have their hands full treating the injured.
On Sunday, Israel retaliated with a declaration of war. More than 1,600 people have been killed overall since Saturday.