NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Fear has remained in Marielle Israel’s heart since the war began. She lives in Tel Aviv, Israel.

A day after the war started, a rocket attack almost hit her home. These kinds of attacks have become a constant fear for her and the Israeli people.

“My first thought was that could have been me or any of my loved ones,” Israel said. “Thank God nobody was hurt, but this is the reality people face in neighboring cities.”

She compared her current situation to COVID-19 lockdown, where people only go out for necessities. She recalled walking with a friend to the grocery store and having to immediately seek shelter as the emergency sirens started going off.

Although living in fear, she doesn’t want to leave her country.

“I really believe Israel is worth fighting for,” Israel said. “I’m going to be making meals for soldiers, babysitting their kids, and doing what I can to give back to those currently fighting for us.”

Understanding that Hamas doesn’t represent the Palestinian people is a message that Jewish Rabbi Joshua Spodek wants addressed. On a zoom call, he spoke about the need to focus on Hamas’s continued terror on both Israel and the Palestinian people.

“You’re asking me a question in terms on how do we understand what’s driving them,” Spodek said. “This is hatred beyond the human imagination.”

Spodek believes defeating this evil will help bring stability to the region, but it’s only a fraction of the threat Israel faces. With continued aggression from other terrorist groups and Iran, he asked the world to continue supporting Israel.

“While I hope and pray that Israel wipes out Hamas and all of its supporters in the coming days, there’s still Hezbollah in the north and Iran to our east,” Spodek said.

On Saturday, Spodek and his son will travel to Israel to deliver supplies. His son is also going to reenlist in the Army to help serve his country.

If you would like to donate to his fundraising efforts, his Venmo is Yitzchak-Spodek. 

Both Spodek and Israel believe Israel will win this war and said they are thankful to the United States and all the worldwide support.