Palestinians say it is raining fire in Gaza, after Israel started ground operations into the besieged enclave tonight.

Home to about 1.7 million Palestinians, Gaza is bordered by Israel on one side and Egypt on another. Both borders are heavily controlled, leaving residents with nowhere to run. Critics of Israel's occupation have described Gaza as an open-air prison.

On Twitter, Jehan Alfarra, with 8K followers, says:

NOW: It's raining FIRE on #Gaza tonight with an Israeli ground invasion on the wayyy! #PrayForGaza pic.twitter.com/QMOTBduZ96

— Jehan Alfarra (@palinoia) July 17, 2014

Gaza Writes Back, who has 36.4K followers on Twitter, says the start of the land invasion and the heavy bombardment has turned “the whole of Gaza into a ball of fire”:

israel starts a land invasion and turns the whole Gaza Strip into a ball of fire… #GazaUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/pnyFbdtcra — Gaza Writes Back (@ThisIsGaZa) July 17, 2014

And iFalasteen, also from Gaza, tweets to his 26.8K followers:

It's raining bombs across Gaza Strip now from sea, land and air… Israel is bombing everything… #GazaUnderAttack

— فلسطين i (@iFalasteen) July 17, 2014

Also, in Gaza, Palestine, shares this photograph from the bombardment in Gaza tonight with his 10k followers on Twitter:

it's the heaviest attack now !! #PrayForGaza #GazaUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/VNWN6Dlaui — Palestine | פלסטינה (@iPalestinian91) July 17, 2014

In another photograph, he says:

Even the moon is red in Gaza tonight… #GazaUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/EtgQgkyyTX

— فلسطين i (@iFalasteen) July 17, 2014

Photographer Jehad Saftawi shares a photograph from the Gaza borders, showing the start of the operation:

The Israeli ground invasion has started on Gaza Strip, here the borders of Gaza. #GazaUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/ny7sEjhar0

— Jehad Saftawi (@Jehadsaftawi) July 17, 2014

While Lara Abu Ramadan, Palestinian journalist, translator and a freelance photographer based in Gaza, explains:

This is horrible I can see a huge fire from the Israeli tanks western Gaza strip. #GazaUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/whpSbRmSpo

— Lara (@laraaburamadan) July 17, 2014

And Palestinian blogger Haitham Sabbah, shares this link of a livestream from Gaza:

Online Live Stream From #GazaUnderAttack http://t.co/jg2PZQbXXK — Haitham Sabbah (@sabbah) July 17, 2014

Meanwhile, journalist Richard Hall, who is based in Paris, reminds his 6,800 followers:

Last time Israel invaded Gaza 1,387 Palestinians were killed. 773 were civilians, including 320 children and 109 women. (Source: B'Tselem)

— Richard Hall (@_RichardHall) July 17, 2014

Today is the 11th day of the start of “Operation Defensive Edge,” which has left more than 230 Palestinians dead, including women and children, and more than 1,500 injured.

From Gaza, Hamas, which has ruled the strip since 2007, has fired missiles into Israel. Most of the rockets coming into Israel have caused no serious damage, due in part to the US-funded Iron Dome aerial defense system, which has intercepted at least 70 projectiles so far, according to the Guardian.

With the group operations, the casualties are expected to rise.