Amid the ongoing counter-offensive by Israeli forces following the multi-pronged terror attacks by Hamas, tourists from Israel in the Kangra’s Dharamkot village, said they were worried about the events unfolding back home.
Dharamkot is also known as ‘Mini Israel’ as it is the only village in Himachal to have a Jewish centre. Several tourists shared their willingess to head back and serve their homeland in whatever way they can. The toll from the terror attacks by Hamas, meanwhile, soared past 900 on Tuesday while the count of the injured was pegged at 2,600. The retaliatory air strikes and ground assualt by the Israeli forces, on the other hand, left over 700 dead in Gaza Strip.
Noa Levy, an Israeli tourist in the picturesque Himachal village, said the situation back home was ‘shocking’, adding that her family members, while living in the shadow of Hamas terror, were happy she was ‘safe’ in India.
“The events that have unfolded in my homeland over the last fews days have left me in shock. I desperately want to go back to my family but they are happy that I am safe here in India. It’s hard to put what I am feeling in words. Earlier today, I received word that I have lost five members of my family. I have benumbed with shock and sadness. Even women and children being abducted with impunity back home,” Noa told media, fighting back tears.
Another Israeli tourist, Roee, said he has been making desperate efforts to head back home but has not been able to book a flight.
“The situation back home has left me devastated. We are scared for our fanilies and friends there and also can’t help feeling outraged against the Hamas terrorists. We are trying to take a flight back home so that we could join the forces, who are battling Hamas out there. We are desperately trying to book the first flight home,” he told media.
In the country to take in the scenic beauty of Dharamkot village, Rotem Golpur, another tourist from Israel, said the attacks and the aftermath have left him shaken.
“Many of us want to serve the military and help out our forces, as the situation is grim back home. Most flights have been cancelled. Our friends and families are already involved (in the fight against Hamas). We want to go back but can’t.”
Another visitor from Israel, Sahar Kleinfeld, said she and her compatriots have been counting anxious minutes and spending sleepless nights ever since the fresh wave of violence and terror broke out in West Asia.
“We can’t sleep. We feel helpless for our families and friends back home. Many Israelis have received calls from the Army to join them. There is an urgent need for more countrymen to join this fight against Hamas,” she said.
#WATCH | Dharamkot, Himachal Pradesh: On the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, Israel tourist Sahar Kleinfeld says, "In Dharamkot, we cannot sleep. We feel bad for the situation in Israel. Many Israeli have received calls from the Army to join them. We need more soldiers…" pic.twitter.com/C3tYpqVFTO
— ANI (@ANI) October 10, 2023
The horrific Hamas terror attacks have, so far, claimed more than 900 Israeli lives left and 2,600 injured, The Times of Israel reported.
Israeli fighter jets have hit 1707 targets in Gaza since Saturday, including 475 rocket systems, 73 command centres, 23 strategic infrastructure sites and 22 underground targets.
In retaliation to the Hamas attacks, Israeli forces claimed to have killed over 400 people in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Further, as part of the ongoing counter-offensive against the Palestinian terror group, Israel has mobilised 3,00,000 troops in the last 48 hours. Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari informed of the troop mobilisation, saying that the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) “has never mobilized so many reservists so quickly”.
This is the largest mobilisation since the 1973 Yom Kippur War when Israel called up 400,000 reservists, Times of Israel reported.
(with inputs from ANI)
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