Residents of a southern Israeli town near the Gaza border experienced a harrowing day on Thursday as rockets rained down, while in Gaza, Palestinians lined up outside bakeries and grocery stores after a night of destruction and darkness caused by a near-total power outage. International aid groups have warned that the death toll in Gaza could rise, as Israel has stopped all deliveries of food, water, fuel, and electricity, and Lt. Col. Richard Hecht has reported that forces are preparing for a ground operation. The people of Gaza are pleading for an end to the violence, but with no end in sight, they continue to suffer the consequences of the war.
