A journalist from Montreal who was vacationing in Tel Aviv, like many civilians, was surprised by the outbreak of clashes between Hamas and Israel on Saturday.
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He added: “We felt that we were completely far from the attacks that occur more in the south, but… [samedi] “In the evening, a missile fell in downtown Tel Aviv,” says Anaïs El Bogdini, a journalist from Montreal who is currently in Israel.
In the middle of a week-long vacation in Tel Aviv, freelance journalist Agnes El Bogdini found herself in the middle of the conflict between Hamas and Israel. The woman, who was supposed to fly back to Montreal over the long weekend, instead chose to extend her stay by a few days in order to fulfill her journalistic duty.
“It’s a big ethical issue as a journalist, but I tell myself that I’m already there and I think it’s important that we’re aware of this war in Canada. […] “There are a lot of publicity risks, so journalistic work helps,” she added.
Since the beginning of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, more than a thousand people have been killed in less than 48 hours. This number is expected to continue to rise, as Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, warned residents of a “long” war.
From hour to hour
In Tel Aviv, residents remain on alert, despite the tens of kilometers that separate them from the Gaza Strip, where clashes are raging.
“There is tension knowing what will happen in the coming days. What people tell me is that they are used to missiles […] But the streets are currently completely deserted, as the situation is quite uncertain, and people prefer to avoid travelling.
Although Agnes says she feels safe in the Israeli city, she remains cautious. Anyone who would go to Jerusalem in the coming days risks revising her plans because the people she spoke to are unable to confirm that Israel’s capital is safe at the moment.
“There is a lot of information circulating in Hebrew, so I don’t have all the information […] “I’m always in front of my computer, and I try not to go out too much at the moment.”
The Israeli army deployed tens of thousands of soldiers to regain full control of the southern desert areas near the Gaza Strip, in an effort to rescue Israeli hostages believed to still be there.
Many countries, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ukraine and India, have already sided with Israel.
-With Agence France-Presse
