Lying, Running, Crouching, Shaking

At 9:40 on the way back from a doctor's appointment in Beer Sheva, with my husband and oldest son in the car - there was a siren at the moshav we were passing. We stopped the car and we all laid down on the road, covering our heads. The booms were very close. After a few minutes, we got up, dusted off our clothes, and drove on to our home - 2 minutes from there. My son and I came into the house to put down our things and get bags for the store.

Walking over to buy some food, there was another siren. We dashed into one of the offices and shut the door. We then noticed that unfortunately in this small office, the window was open - so that wasn't much protection. But since the rockets were already hitting, so we didn't dare go outside. They were very loud and VERY close. We crouched on the floor, holding one another. After a few minutes we tried going out again. The sirens began again and we dashed into the dining room, to the stairwell, next to the place where the mirrors used to be (they took them down so that they wouldn't break if a rocket hit the building). We couldn't count all those booms - that were so close, you felt them inside your body.

 

We eventually got to the store, which was mostly deserted, and bought what we needed. We then got a text message to stay indoors and off the sidewalks if at all possible because of the ongoing rocket attacks.

I had just finished talking to one of my dear friends in Gaza right before we found ourselves lying on the ground, near the moshav where the siren went off. She told of horrific things she is seeing. I wonder what all this is doing to her psyche, and how she can take care of herself. I know now she only wants to help others - women and children - who are the main victims of this war.

We parted with words of love and care for one another and to be safe. I will try to call her later today.

After the morning adventures, more sirens, This time my son and I are in our house, that has no safe room. We go into the corridor and close the doors to the bedrooms. He gives me a hug and a peck on the forehead. Shouldn't I be doing this to him?

I hope that I do not need to continue to lie down on the ground, run for cover, crouch on the floor, hug my loved ones, feel the bombs bursting inside anymore, or anything worse...

We Palestinians and Israelis must ban together and say NO MORE WAR; NO MORE BLOODSHED. We are all fed up being sitting ducks in this killing carnival