A fitness influencer has described the terrifying moment she woke to missile sirens in Israel and feared she might be about to die.
Andrea Sunshine travelled alone to Tel Aviv from London Heathrow on 20 February, but says she has since become stuck there amidst the ongoing conflict.
The 55-year-old said she was jolted awake at around 6am by air raid sirens the morning after returning from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
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“I had never heard anything like that before and I wasn’t prepared for it at all,” Andrea, from Brazil but currently living in London, told Need To Know.
“My heart started racing and my body went cold.
“For a moment, I genuinely thought I might be living the last minutes of my life.
“The night before had been incredibly special for me.
“It was a very emotional and spiritual experience and I went to sleep feeling grateful and peaceful.
“When I heard the sirens, I tried to breathe and understand what was happening.
“I quickly searched for information and realised that every building here has a protected shelter.
“That’s when I went downstairs and found a group of local residents already there.
“Since that moment, they have been incredibly kind and welcoming.
“Even though I arrived here alone, not knowing anyone and not knowing what to expect, the local people have made me feel supported and protected.
“That human warmth is something that has really stayed with me.
“What surprised me the most is the contrast in people’s reactions.
“Some people seem almost calm because they’ve lived with this reality for so long.
“I see young locals outside sometimes trying to continue their lives between the sirens, talking, walking their dogs or going for coffee almost as if they refuse to let fear take control of their lives.
“But at the same time I’ve also seen moments of real panic.
“When the sirens go off, some people run desperately towards shelters.
“It’s a mix of resilience and fear happening at the same time.”
The personal trainer and writer had only planned to stay for eight days, but is now stranded as uncertainty continues around flights leaving the country.
Andrea said: “Everyone here is waiting for updates about the airspace and when regular flights will fully resume.
“Information changes quickly and sometimes there are only rumours or partial updates, so for now it’s a matter of staying informed and being ready if an opportunity to leave appears.
“Until then, the most important thing is simply to stay safe and follow the local safety protocols.
“Like many other people here, I’ve been constantly checking flight updates and trying to understand when it will actually be possible to leave safely.
“The situation with flights is extremely uncertain, and when airspace opens even slightly, the prices can skyrocket within hours.
“So right now it’s a balance between staying calm and being ready to move quickly if an opportunity appears.
“It’s a strange feeling because you are technically free to leave, but in reality everything depends on the situation in the airspace and the availability of flights.
“At the same time I’m here alone, so every decision feels very personal.
“You have to stay rational, follow the safety protocols and wait for the right moment to move.”
Despite moments of fear, she said the experience has changed her perspective on life.
The grandmother added: “It’s a very intense and surreal experience.
“Just a day before hearing the sirens for the first time I had been in Jerusalem on a pilgrimage, feeling peace and gratitude.
“Waking up the next morning to the sound of alarms was something I never imagined I would experience.
“Of course there are moments of fear and uncertainty.
“But at the same time this experience has shown me something very powerful about human resilience.
“I met a couple in the shelter who had just lost their home in an attack, yet they were grateful simply because they survived and their dog was safe.
“What struck me was their attitude.
“They weren’t crying or angry.
“They kept repeating that nothing they lost mattered compared to being alive.
“Seeing that kind of strength changes your perspective.
“In moments like this you realise that life is incredibly fragile, but also that people are capable of remarkable courage even in the middle of chaos.”
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