In the war-torn nation of Israel, positive images emerge of the communities coming together.
While they shared different experiences for their loved ones, the common theme is resilience.
More coverage on the Israel-Hamas war here
“This has been… it feels just like one big nightmare, to be honest with you. That it’s never-ending,” said Itai Ben Eli, owner of Hamsa Modern Israeli Cuisine
Ben Eli is one of countless Houstonians with family in Israel. Born and raised there himself, the carnage rocking the Jewish nation is crushing.
“It’s so terrifying to see what’s going on at home. Seeing these barbaric videos of everything that’s going down there. We’re mourning,” he said.
While Ben Eli says his family is in the north of Israel out of harm’s way right now, they’re still preparing bags with basic necessities just in case they have to flee.
Local Jewish school teacher, Rivka Fishman says her daughter is in school in Israel and was so close to the initial Hamas attacks, that she felt the ground shake.
“She was very, very scared. Of course, she’s 17 years old and she spent most of her day in a bomb shelter, running back and forth to the bomb shelter so many times she decided to just put a mattress there and sleep there,” Fishman said.
She shared a picture she says her daughter sent from the school bomb shelter where you can see girls using their phones to call home and pray. Other images show cleared-out supermarket shelves in Jerusalem where Fishman says her aunt is stocking up on toiletries and snacks for those in need.
“My aunt is a tour guide, she’s completely fearless she always has been. She is driving her little vehicle to the town of Sderot to bring provisions,” she said.
Similar images out of Tel Aviv, Ben Eli provided show volunteers working together to prepare food and other supplies for soldiers. Photos he says are testaments to the resiliency of the Israeli people.
“The entire Israeli people are coming together right now, they’re coming together to get stronger and to pass through this like we have in the past,” Ben Eli said.
Both Ben Eli and Fishman thanked the people of Houston, and everyone else standing in solidarity against Hamas as the war wages on.