117 Days of War

I cannot believe it has been 117 days since the October 7 massacre and 117 days of war.

So much happened on that day and so much has happened since then.

When the massacre occurred on October 7, thousands of Hamas terrorists crossed the border into Israel from Gaza.

I woke up at 6am on that morning (as usual) and followed the chain of events as it happened.

I was having breakfast when I suddenly heard rocket sirens at 6:30am in the morning, I instinctively knew that something was wrong.

I found out that Hamas terrorists had crossed the border into Israel and were randomly shooting people whilst driving around in Israeli golf carts. They were also taking civilians hostage including women, children and the elderly. I could not believe what was happening but things were about to get worse.

I later found out that the terrorists were raping women, burning family homes on a Kibbutz and beheading babies. These were inhumane acts of savagery and barbarism.

This was anyone’s worst nightmare.

Since that day over 11,000 rockets have been fired at Israel and over 1,200 people were killed in the massacre. Presently there are over 130 hostages in Gaza.

I was in Israel when this all happened and I can honestly say that I have not seen or known anything in my life like what has happened in the last few months. I could never forget what has happened.

The past few months I have understood the meaning of being in a war. Running to a bomb shelter, going to the supermarket when the shelves are half-empty, panic buying at the shops. As well as watching and reading the news constantly and being in a state of worry.

In Hollywood films they glamorize war with good looking people fighting courageously in uniform. In real life, there is nothing glamorous in war.

I have also been dealing with worry, stress and anxiety on a completely new level and I do not cope well with these things.

It has not been easy.

And yet my situation is better than most and I feel that I should not complain when there are others that have lost their family and friends.

This has been the longest single war that Israel has ever had to fight and it may even be the hardest.

I hope and pray every day that this is all over soon and the hostages are all returned.

That is all you can do – hope.