“We Don’t Know What to Do When We Hear a Siren. We Don’t Have Anywhere to Go”

Around 40 percent of Jerusalem’s population lives in the eastern part of the city, yet they are served by just 10 percent of its public bomb shelters. “My children shake with fear, and there’s nothing I can say to reassure them,” says Fadi, 45. “I just try to keep them away from the windows,” adds Amani, 39. In response, City Hall attributed the disparity to historical factors and illegal construction.

March 19, 2026