In Israel, 'the place where you want your kids to grow up' has suddenly turned into the front line
Be'eri, a beautiful Israeli kibbutz near the Gaza Strip, was once considered an idyllic place to raise children.
The fields were green, the sunsets were breathtaking.
But now, it has become the front line of conflict.
Hamas rockets rain down on the community, leaving devastation in their wake.
Lotan Pinyan, a resident, recalls how they used to joke about the rockets being the only downside to their paradise.
But now, it's no laughing matter.
Early one morning, the alarm sounded, signaling an imminent attack.
The Pinyan family and their neighbors were thrust into a nightmare they never imagined.
As the sirens blared, the Pinyans and their community were awakened to the sound of terror.
The usual "tat - tat - tat" of bombings was replaced by an unrelenting barrage of rockets.
Panic spread as messages flooded their WhatsApp group, detailing the presence of terrorists in the kibbutz.
Gunshots, voices in Arabic, and pleas for help filled the chat.
Mati Weiss, Michal Pinyan's father, sent a chilling message: "Dad was shot and they are throwing grenades.
They blew up the safe room."
The family's worst fears were confirmed.
The terrorists had infiltrated their homes.
Tom Hand, another resident of Be'eri, was consumed by fear for his eight-year-old daughter, Emily.
As the messages poured in about terrorists breaking into their neighbors' houses, he couldn't help but think of his little girl.
Hand had come to Be'eri as a volunteer and never left.
He and Emily were a tight-knit duo, supporting each other after the loss of Emily's mother.
The kibbutz was their home, a place where they shared meals and everything else with their community.
But now, Hand was faced with a heart-wrenching decision - to protect Emily at all costs.
The once peaceful kibbutz was now overrun by heavily armed militants.
Hand couldn't reach Emily or her friend's house where she was staying.
He knew he had to act quickly to save his daughter.
But it was too late.
The shots had already been fired, and the kibbutz was under siege.
Hand was trapped, unable to leave his home.
He couldn't risk losing Emily, not after everything they had been through.
The innocence of Be'eri had been shattered, leaving its residents in shock and mourning the loss of loved ones.
Be'eri, once a place of beauty and tranquility, has become a symbol of the ongoing conflict in Israel.
The community, known for its liberal values and compassion for Gazans, now faces the harsh reality of living on the front line.
The rockets that were once a joke have become a deadly threat.
The people of Be'eri will never forget the day their paradise turned into a nightmare.
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