A platform to observe the genocide

The Sderot observation point, called the “Kobi’s Hill” or informally as “Sderot Cinema,” is a hilltop area near the city of Sderot overlooking northern Gaza.

During periods of conflict, some Israeli visitors gather there using binoculars or viewing equipment to watch military activity in the Gaza Strip. Media coverage has described the site as a public vantage point close to the border that offers direct visibility into Gaza, and it has drawn controversy because of how it is used during war time.

In 2017, an ILS 8 million budget was approved to develop Kobe’s Hill near Sderot as a tourist site overlooking Gaza. The hill, equipped with telescopic binoculars, is used to view the Gaza Strip and nearby Israeli communities and is often visited by tourists, soldiers, and diplomats for a “bird’s-eye view” of the border area.

It was named after local security coordinator Kobe Harush, who guides visitors there. The site has since been officially renamed Heroes’ Hill in memory of four Israeli soldiers killed there during Operation Protective Edge.

On the page of Kobi's hill on the website of the Sderot tourism, the place was described with these words:

"Until just a few years ago, there was only a dirt road leading to the hill, climbed by hikers and field vehicles. Yet, Kobe's Hill has always been a magnet for anyone looking for a high point with a beautiful view and fresh air. It has become a site for masses coming to visit from throughout the country when tensions escalate in the area as they seek a view of what it is like to see a war movie under production. From this hill, you can actually see the rockets as they are launched towards Israel and IDF bombardments in response"

A "Le Monde" piece published on July 23, 2025, highlights the normalization and controversial nature of watching the destruction from a public vantage point, which has been informally dubbed “Sderot Cinema” on social media.