‘It’s Scary’: American Reporter Stuck in Israel With Baby Describes Country After Hamas Attack
Former PIX-11 reporter Rebecca Solomon was visiting family in Rishon LeZion, Israel, about an hour from the Gaza Strip, when Hamas launched a horrific surprise attack on Israel that has so far killed at least 700 people.
Mediaite spoke with the Emmy award-winning journalist about what she is witnessing firsthand and her hope to return home to the United States.
“We’ve had wars for all of eternity everywhere — but what happened on Saturday just takes it on to a whole new level and things are going to get a lot worse before they get better I fear,” Solomon, who was visiting her Israeli husband’s family with her husband and seven-month-old daughter when the violence broke out, told Mediaite.
“What we’ve been seeing, where I am, which is about an hour north of Gaza where most of the turmoil is happening, up in the sky are rockets, and we hear the missiles, and when that happens we hear sirens, and when the sirens go off we have to take shelter, “ Solomon said. “The one part that is our saving grace, and I’m counting my blessings for, is the Iron Dome, which intercepts the missiles up in the sky so they don’t make landfall. Every now and then they do because nothing is perfect, but in that case we’re protected by the bomb shelters.”
While there is no restriction in place at the moment to stay indoors, the mom of an infant said she did not feel safe to leave her in-laws apartment, which is equipped with a bomb shelter.
“I’ve chosen to be at home at their apartment. I like being right where I know I can get to safety especially now as a new mom. My daughter she’ll be eight months in a couple days and I feel most comfortable here,” Solomon said.
Solomon, her husband and child are planning to fly back to the United States on Thursday. But even the short trip to the airport could be a perilous one as the bombings continue.
“As far as getting to the airport that’s my number one fear. The airport from here is only a twenty minute drive,” Solomon said, adding that she’s “petrified because I don’t know what could happen on the drive there and as we’re seeing with these reports, and my own eyes, the airport, they are getting bombed out.”
As Solomon and her family are waiting to leave Israel, she told Mediaite, “It’s scary. It’s very eerie. Israel is a lively nation. It is so developed, and there’s so much love and excitement in the air when you land in Israel, in Tel Aviv, wherever you go people are welcoming and shoving food down your throat, and wine and music, and dancing, and shopping and there’s none of that right now. Everything has come to a halt. You have some people who are scared and rightfully so, children who have to stay in the bomb shelters and sleep, and it’s scary. And then you have people who are no longer active military, they’re in the reserves or what have you, and they are like ‘put me in. I’m ready to fight. I want to serve my country.’ Yes, it’s scary but there’s a lot of strength as well.”
“I’m scared I won’t be able to fly out on Thursday.” Solomon said. “I just want to go home.”
Watch the full interview above.
