the people are forced to lie down and are later allowed back up. Infer from the descriptions what happend while they were lying down.

The soldiers order them all to lie down so that they can walk among them and remove their papers and jewelry for safekeeping. Someone – it sounds like Shmuel – calls out that this demand is for the soldiers’ safekeeping, and the officer threatens to shoot the next one who speaks. However, it takes him shooting into the ground at someone’s feet to make them all finally lie down on the ground. A low undercurrent rises up from the men on the ground as they begin to pray.