Israeli Lawmakers Run for Cover as Jerusalem Hit With Barrage of Rockets

Israel was forced to evacuate its parliament in the middle of proceedings on Monday as Hamas fired rockets over Jerusalem. 

The attack occurred shortly after President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Knesset at the opening of the legislative body's winter session. 

At the same time, Hamas’ military wing, the Qassam Brigades, said on Telegram it had attacked Tel Aviv “with a missile barrage” in response to ongoing Israeli bombardment of Gaza. 

Members of the Knesset, journalists and government workers crowded into a basement shelter after proceedings were abruptly adjourned as air raid sirens wailed over Jerusalem.

Explosions were heard over the city. There was no immediate damage report.

Hamas took credit for the Jerusalem blasts as well as rocket barrages earlier in the day on Ashdod, Beersheba and Ashkelon.

Before the air raid sirens went off, Netanyahu said the colossal intelligence failures that allowed Hamas to attack Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,400 people, would be probed. An estimated 2,750 Gazans have died in Israeli bombing over the last 10 days as Israel prepares for a ground invasion to destroy Hamas.

“The reasons for the disaster that occurred will be investigated … and we have started drawing conclusions,” Netanyahu told the Knesset.

Flashing a warning to the Hezbollah militia in southern Lebanon and its sponsors in Tehran amid escalating exchanges of fire on Israel's northern border, Netanyahu said: “Don’t try us, you will be severely harmed.”

And the prime minister assured the Knesset that his government was working toward the return of nearly 200 hostages seized by Hamas and taken into Gaza. "We are relentless in this effort to bring back our brothers and sisters, men and women, children and babies," he said.