Everything seems normal in Israel until you hear the sirens.
The sirens are so deafening that they compel a stranger to wonder what’s going on.
I’ve long wanted to visit Israel—not just for its religious significance but also because of something about the people I’ve seen in movies. The spy, based on true events, remains my favourite movie ever.
For an enemy to infiltrate the corridors of power and become a deputy defence minister is beyond imagination. That movie alone endeared me to Israeli security intelligence.
Beyond that, you may hate them for the atrocities committed against Palestinians—not because the Palestinians are necessarily right, but simply because lives are being lost. Over 50,000 deaths are not just a number to be glossed over. Children, women, journalists—anyone—can become victims of circumstance.
On the other hand, palm branches don’t rattle without the wind.
According to Israel, their latest attacks are driven by anger over October 7, 2023, “terror” by Hamas.
“We will not rest until every one of the hostages is released,” said Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, at the Cybertech Conference held in Tel Aviv.
At every opportunity, each Israeli speaker on that stage called for the release of their citizens held in captivity.
According to the United Nations, 70% of those killed are children and women.
Living thousands of miles away in Ghana, perspectives tend to be skewed by one’s religious beliefs.
Muslim for Hamas
Christian for Israel.
This conclusion is flawed by every stretch of imagination.
Reading comments on my social media posts about my visit to Israel, I found that every comment from Islamic names condemned me for accepting the trip, which was sponsored by the Israeli government. What amazed me most was that some Christians agreed with the Muslim critics. That revealed how nuanced the issue truly is.
The Gaza Strip and Kibbutz Be’eri are occupied by human beings, first and foremost, before their identity.
Israelis cannot pretend to be holier than Christ in this war, nor is it justifiable for a Muslim to leave his territory, murder over 500 people at the Nova Festival, enter Kibbutz Be’eri, and destabilize the community.
History can only guide us to make the right decisions. Dwelling on the past to justify any war crime veers into absurdly.
No matter how you see it, the first rule of survival is self-defense. But where do we draw the limit?
Hamas should release the hostages, and Israel should cease its attacks.
These wars do not only affect citizens directly; they send shivers down the spine of any visitor, even if they are your allies.
Three of us—from Ghana, South Korea, and Nigeria—were picked up from the airport in Tel Aviv on Sunday at 7:20am.
Three minutes into our drive, my admiration for the beautiful city of Tel Aviv was violently interrupted.
The driver asked us to hop out of the car and stand about 20 meters away.
While we waited, the sirens blared through the sky. I tried filming a bit.
Boom! A deafening explosion shook my eardrums.
“What just happened?” I asked.
“It was a rocket attack,” Shima, the driver, responded.
“It’s all over now (after 5 minutes). We can get back in the van,” he added.
I was sitting right beside him in the front seat.
My endless questions possibly made him question why he had agreed to pick us up from the airport.
The hotel, located in the heart of Tel Aviv—much like the luxury apartments at Danquah Roundabout in Osu and Airport in Accra—helped – ease my fears.
It was 10 a.m. in Israel and 8 a.m. in Ghana. I quickly found comfort in that cosy bed as I drifted off to sleep.
I was in Israel for the Cybertech Global Tel Aviv conference, but my itinerary was packed with tours.
I’ll save the tours for another piece.
We returned from Kibbutz Be’eri, a two-hour drive back to Tel Aviv, for a private dinner with an incredible culinary artist.
Then came the terrifying sound of the sirens again.
“Guys, we have a maximum of two minutes to rush to the underground shelter,” said Navah, our coordinator, relaying instructions from our host.
It was another attack.
I knew about the Iron Dome, but my curiosity made me ask, “Where did the rocket strike?”
“It was neutralized in the air,” Navah responded.
“Where did it come from?”
“It could be from Yemen, Gaza, or any of our attackers,” she said.
Our field trip to the Israel National Cyber Directorate in Be’er Sheva gave me insight into the level of investment in cybersecurity aimed at safeguarding Israel from attacks.
Drones on 24-hour surveillance along the borders further strengthen intelligence gathering and rapid response capabilities.
But what becomes of Hamas? Who speaks for them?
I’m not oblivious to what happens, at least based on media reports.
The U.S. and other powerful nations strongly back Israel.
The UN is helpless. At best, they file reports based on information from Hamas. Their plea to Israel to allow access to extend essential support has fallen on deaf ears.
Violations of ceasefire agreements should come with sanctions—but who will enforce them? That’s the bigger question.
On that evening, while taking shelter underground, one thought ran through my mind:
What if this rocket lands on this roof? What if this building collapses?
If a U.S. citizen dies because of this war, it would change its course. We all know how the U.S. would react.
But what about me, or my Kenyan and Nigerian colleagues? How would our respective countries respond?
Fourteen journalists from around the world gathered in the belly of the earth in a shelter.
“This is our daily ordeal,” Navah said while scrolling through pictures from her husband.
Her husband had taken their two children to the shelter in their home. The little one was wrapped in a towel.
The baby bath was halted abruptly for safety at the sound of the sirens.
Thursday, March 27, is my last day in Israel. As exciting as the experience was, I’m anxiously waiting to check in at the airport at 11:30 p.m.
Just when I thought I wouldn’t have to hide in a shelter before my final exit, the siren blared. We were at the Tel Aviv Spark Innovation Summit at 1:10 p.m. when we had to rush into the shelter at the Habima Theatre.
This was a conference with hundreds of people from diverse cultural backgrounds and countries.
This time, some of my fellow journalists saw and captured the rocket. It was intercepted and neutralized by the Iron Dome.
In the shelter, I saw mothers with babies less than a month old. I saw adults. Women. And everyone—no matter how difficult their lives seemed—terrified of dying in a rocket attack.
This is Israel. I can only imagine what Gaza is enduring. Say no to war.
Ghana’s diplomatic policy remains; friend to all, enemy to none. Say no to hate. Love!