Stories from Israel: Sirens of attacks, fear, pain...

2023-10-09 19:52:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Stories from Israel: Sirens of attacks, fear, pain...

Destruction in Ashkelon, Israel after a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip

"At the moment we are calm, but later we don't know what will happen", says Samiko Solomoni while describing the situation in the northern part of Israel.

The Jew of Albanian origin has been living with his family in the town of Karimel in this area for 30 years. Israel is in a state of war after Hamas militants launched a surprise attack against it on October 7.

In response, the Israeli military launched a bombardment of the Gaza Strip - the region controlled by Hamas. Over 1,000 people were reported killed by both sides in two days.

Various countries have already started evacuating their citizens from the areas where the fighting is going on. Solomoni says that about 150 Albanians live in the town of Karimel.

"We don't feel any danger, because we are far from the front. Here, the houses are equipped with bunkers, shelters, strong concrete... Even if our country, where we live, is shot... the family is sheltered inside, there is no danger", says Solomoni for Radio Free Europe.

He says he has never seen the scenes of attacks broadcast on television before.

Even if violence spreads to the region where he lives, he says he will not leave.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora of Kosovo announced to Radio Free Europe that eight citizens of Kosovo, who sought help from the Embassy of Kosovo in Jerusalem, have already left the territory of Israel.

"Meanwhile, the Embassy of the Republic of Kosovo has notified seven other citizens, with whom the Embassy is in constant communication to offer them a solution. Those notified are safe and in good health," said the Ministry of Interior.

On the evening of October 8, the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania said that forty Albanians - among whom two from Kosovo - have been evacuated from Israel to Albania.

Irena Stein - Steinova, another Albanian living in Israel, tells Radio Free Europe how she experienced the attacks of the Palestinian militant group, Hamas.

"Very, very painful and very, very sad."

Stories from Israel: Sirens of attacks, fear, pain...

“Sulmi filloi të shtunën, para dy ditësh, në orën 6 e gjysmë të mëngjesit, ditë pushimi, ditë feste. Në Izrael, nga ana fetare, është festa e Gëzimit të Biblës… Në 6 e gjysmë të mëngjesit dëgjojmë sirenën. U çova dhe u futa ku duhet, [që] të mbrohem sipas udhëzimeve që na i ka dhënë ushtria”, rrëfen 67-vjeçarja.

Ajo jeton në qytetin Ber Sheva, rreth 40 kilometra larg zonës ku zhvillohen luftime.

Thotë se autoritetet i kanë udhëzuar qytetarët që t’i kufizojnë lëvizjet.

Në Izrael jeton një numër qytetarësh nga rajoni i Ballkanit Perëndimor, me disa prej të cilëve REL-i arriti të bjerë në kontakt.

Lubço Tasevski nga Maqedonia e Veriut ka katër vjet që punon si menaxher i një restoranti në tel Aviv.

Ai thotë se, për momentin, nuk e ka ndërmend të kthehet në vendlindje, pasi, siç shprehet, shpreson që gjendja në Izrael të stabilizohet.

“Gjendja në Tel Aviv dhe rrethinë, ku gjendet pjesa më e madhe e shtetasve maqedonas me punë të përkohshme, është e sigurt. Dëgjohen sirena... Madje, disa miq nga Kumanova, kur u dëgjova me ta, më thanë se kanë qenë në strehimore disa herë gjatë 24 orëve të fundit”, thotë Tasevski.

Restorantet, sipas tij, nuk punojnë - punojnë vetëm dyqanet ushqimore dhe furrat e bukës.

“Një numër i maqedonasve, përmes ambasadës sonë këtu, ka kërkuar që të kthehet në Maqedoninë e Veriut”, thotë ai, duke shtuar se edhe vetë është kontaktuar nga punonjësit e ambasadës.

Bashkëqytetarja e tij, Elizabeta Georgieva, u evakuua nga Izraeli në Shqipëri mbrëmjen e 8 tetorit.

She was in Tel Aviv as a tourist. Speaking to Radio Free Europe, he says that the attack sirens caught him having breakfast at the hotel. He says that he passed the first day somehow, but then he saw that the situation was getting worse. Georgieva says she managed to evacuate to Tirana with the help of the Macedonian Embassy in Tel Aviv.

The future of this conflict, described by many politicians as the worst in decades, is unclear. Some have also spoken about the risk of spreading to other countries./ REL