E-Paper
Exclusive: ‘My ex-lover was killed, my friend was raped,' Israeli mom says they are living in terror
‘I can hear the bombs all the time and see missiles exploding in the sky, right above my head,’ Moran said
Moran, a 40-year-old mom-of two young girls, is among thousands of people witnessing the horror being unleashed in Israel at present. Hamas’ militants infiltrated Israeli towns and launched missiles, reportedly resulting in the death of hundreds of people. In a televised address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the attack “murderous.”
Moran was born in Israel and lives in Ramat Gan, which is in the centre of the country, at present. Inside the four walls of her home, with her daughters aged nine and five, she is terrified. “We are all locking our doors, and have been told not to open them to anyone, not even people dressed as police officers,” Moran told Hindustan Times. “There could be more terrorists waiting to wipe us out.”
“We are all terrified, these acts are inhuman and unbearable. Hearing the accounts of survivors, listening to horrified parents of children held hostage in Gaza, it is hard to breathe. It is hard to believe this is really happening in 2023,” she added.
Life is not easy for those who have managed to remain unharmed, because every moment is uncertain, Moran said. “I live with my two children and it’s not even safe to walk on the streets because we do not know where the terrorists are hiding. I can hear the bombs all the time and see missiles exploding in the sky, right above my head. There are alarms all the time,” she said.
Moran added, “Every time the alarms start, we have to run to the shelter with our kids. We have to stay there for several minutes before it’s safe to get back home. We are exhausted.”
‘A friend of my friend was raped’
Moran said that she is in touch with her friends, but it is hard to find someone who has not been affected by the tragedy, someone who has not lost a loved one or not seen someone die. “Someone’s been kidnapped, someone’s been murdered, someone’s missing – there’s no end to the atrocities,” Moran said.
“Several horrific stories have remained untold,” she continued. “A girl, a friend of my friend, was raped in the streets of Gaza as everyone cheered. Using her personal phone, the men sent a video of the crime to her family. No one knows where she is now.”
‘We are still counting dead bodies’
“The Hamas are ruthless. They have been snatching away women, murdering kids, parading bodies and wiping out families. We are still counting dead bodies – hospital morgues are full, there is no room for bodies and a large number of them are still unidentified,” she continued.
“Israel is a small country and it’s like everybody knows everybody. Two of my childhood friends were brutally murdered. I have more friends and neighbours who are missing. As I speak, there’s silence around my house. No one is walking on the streets. The roads are clear. Everybody is frightened,” she added.
Recently, the Israeli military has planned to send out officers who would inform more than 100 families that their loved ones are being held hostage by the Hamas terrorists. Several videos have gone viral on social media, including some from the site of a music festival where the terrorists launched an attack.
One video shows a woman, Noa Argamani, being taken away on the back of a motorcycle as she screamed for help. The men were seen restraining her boyfriend, Avinatan Or. He was seen being made to walk with his hands held behind his back. They are being considered two of several Israelis who are believed to be held captive in Gaza at present.
Another bone-chilling footage has captured the moment an Israeli mother and her two young boys were abducted by Hamas terrorists during the attack over the weekend. 30-year-old Shiri Silberman-Bibas appears visibly distressed and frightened in the video as she clutches her children, three years old and nine months old, as the terrorists take them away.
‘The body of one of my friends has been found’
“I am terrified but I am trying to act as normal as possible because I have two young girls. I want to protect them. But every time I try to close my eyes at night, I see the pictures and hear voices begging for help. I keep wishing that this was a nightmare,” Moran said.
“Last night I received news that the body of one of my friends has been found. He was actually one of the boys I dated as a teenager, and all my childhood memories with him just floated. I’m an influencer in Israel, and I keep telling myself that as an influencer I must tell the truth to the world. They are terrorising us, tormenting us and killing us. We are traumatised and this will last for many years,” she added.
On being asked whether there is a message she would like to share with the world, Moran said, “Please do not close your eyes, please hear our pain, please stand with us, stand with the people of Israel. Imagine yourself in our position.These are not just war crimes, these are crimes against humanity.”
