The recent escalation in conflict between Iran and Israel has resulted in missile attacks that have killed two dozen civilians and made daily life in Tel Aviv tense. With schools and businesses shuttered and public gatherings banned, residents are left grappling with feelings of uncertainty and fear. Many have fled to stay with relatives or resort to shelters at night as missiles rain down. The psychological toll is significant, especially after years of continuous conflict that have eroded Israelis' sense of security, as they now face a heightened state of anxiety in a familiar, yet different, environment.
"The fact that you don't know if the missiles are about to fall on you, that we are now living with this feeling of helplessness, it's insane," said Ella Keren, a nurse who was with her two young daughters at a Tel Aviv playground.
Keren vacillates between "extreme fear, that if something happens - if I die - I will be separated from my girls" on the one hand, and "radical acceptance, that this is just it" on the other.
For the past 20 months, since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Israelis have grown used to war and a weakening sense of security.
But the conflict that began last week feels different in both scope and scale, some Israelis say, inspiring either hope that this era of insecurity will finally end or deep-seated dread.
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