So, it's probably a good thing I'm coming home tomorrow. Although I'm not deeply worried, the situation isn't getting better right now and I don't want to be around if it escalates beyond a few grad and qassam missiles. (although according to the Reuter's photog I'm hanging out with right now, everyone takes the weekends off: terrorists, Israelis, journalists...) You have to have a dark sense of humor when doing this job. He was telling me about how after he got the call yesterday, he went to the scene but had nothing to shoot because all the roads were closed--typical journalist quip. Gotta love the mentality.
Last night, starting at around 8pm, we could hear (and feel) IDF counter-strikes at Gaza. However, by the early morning hours, Gaza was striking back. At 4:50am, we were all awoken to a Tseva* (correct transliteration) Adom aka a Red Alert.
A creepy, somewhat robotic male voice comes blasting through the airwaves saying "tseva adom. tseva adom. tseva adom. tseva adom." It's bizarre and very disquieting. You then run to a concrete shelter if you're not sleeping in one, and wait the given 10-15 seconds for some large projectile to come crashing by (or not.) Once you hear it land, you go back to sleep unless you hear another tseva adom.
It's no wonder people drink and smoke A LOT here. I can't imagine growing up with rockets coming at you practically monthly if not daily. The amount of stress everyone is always under is unbelievable.
All in all, 10 rockets hit the south last night---including an open space near(ish) here, Ashdod, Be'ersheba, Ashkelon, and Kiryat Gat. The one that landed in Ashdod hit a building in an industrial park and injured a bunch of people at a Yeshiva
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/10-rockets-strike-israel-day-after-coordinated-terror-attacks-kill-8-1.379518
I'm definitely coming back home with a new outlook on the world...it's just something you can't understand until you've seen it; and I've barely seen it and barely understand.
More later
