‘Bunker kept us all safe’: Indian couple in Tel Aviv talk about their harrowing experience amid Israel-Palestine conflict

In a swift and anxiety-inducing moment, they were instructed to vacate their accommodations and relocate to a nearby shelter within the university campus of the Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research. Jaideep Kaur, who is currently six months pregnant, shared her experience with TOI via FaceTime from Tel Aviv. She emphasized the importance of the bunker in ensuring their safety during these trying times.

During the evacuation, they could only manage to gather a few snacks and the most essential of their belongings. Later, they discovered that the sturdy concrete structure of the shelter proved impervious to the bombs and rockets raining down on them. The bunker provided refuge to a total of 50 people during this crisis.

Jaideep Kaur and her husband, Mohit Randhawa, along with their three-year-old daughter, are currently stranded in Sde Boker, located approximately 74 kilometers from the Gaza Strip in southern Israel. Kaur had plans to board a flight to India on October 12 to deliver her baby at her parents’ home in Amroha, Uttar Pradesh. However, the ongoing conflict has thrown their plans into uncertainty, as Kaur remarked, “But the attack jeopardized all our plans. Let’s see what happens.”

Despite the distressing situation, the couple had access to Wi-Fi within the shelter, allowing them to view videos and stay updated on the harrowing events. Mohit Randhawa, her husband, took measures to protect Jaideep’s emotional well-being, saying, “My husband took away the phone and later allowed me to watch only web series but no news in order to prevent me from anxiety, considering my pregnancy.” The couple remains hopeful that normalcy will be restored, and they will soon be able to reunite with their family in India. Presently, FaceTime serves as their only means of communication, as phone calls and WhatsApp remain unavailable.

Back in Amroha, Jaideep’s family experienced considerable anxiety as they were unable to reach her for three days. Her father, Surendra Singh Dhillon (55), expressed his relief upon finally making contact, saying, “On Tuesday morning, around 11 am, I managed to connect with her after numerous failed attempts and was relieved to hear that my daughter, son-in-law, and their kid are safe for now. I request the Indian government to safely evacuate those stuck in the war zone.”Mohit Randhawa, an IITian from Roorkee, is currently associated with the Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research at the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research in Tel Aviv. The couple’s ordeal serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges faced by Indians caught in the midst of international conflicts, emphasizing the need for swift and coordinated efforts to ensure their safety.

(With inputs from TOI)