The weekend incursions from Gaza into Israel have resulted in many fatalities with one South African there to tell the story.
Uri Marks, a 49-year-old South African resident in Modiin village, shared his experiences with News24.
His festive preparations for a religious celebration were cut short by an unexpected shower of rockets from Gaza early in the day.
“In the morning before going to the synagogue I could hear explosions in the distance. A lot of them, so we knew something serious was happening,” he said.
“Life in Israel is lived under constant threat and we assumed the army was doing something. We had no idea how tragic the scenario was,” he said.
Uri, born in Johannesburg, said he and his family are safe, for now at least.
“My family and I, like many others, are together and we’re staying at home close to the bomb shelter. Fighting is still going on and we don’t really know how this is going to play out,” he said.
“This is one of our darkest days. It’s unfathomable. There are children that have been killed in the street. Elderly people were killed where they sat in their wheelchairs. People at a music festival were hunted down and killed. It’s devastating,” he said.
Clayson Monyela, spokesperson for the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, has kept a keen eye on the situation, confirming the safety of a group of women from South Africa on a religious trip.
The Israeli Ambassador to South Africa, Eliav Belotsercovsky, voiced his concerns regarding South Africans being caught in the crossfire but said it was too early to provide any concrete information.
“We’ve not been alerted to any South Africans killed or injured or even stranded. We stand ready to provide consular assistance to our nationals,” Belotsercovsky said.
The death toll is reported to be just over 1,000 so far.
Compiled by staff writer
Pictured above: The aftermath of an attack in the Gaza Strip.
Image source: X
