They exchanged text messages and emojis. Brief status updates with words of encouragement. A picture of the beloved family dog "Tutsi."
Until no more messages came.
And then, Cindy Flash, an American, and her Israeli husband Igal vanished into the violence, presumed kidnapped by Hamas.
Four days after Hamas attacked Israel, more than 100 Israelis and potentially dozens of foreign nationals are thought to be held captive in the Gaza Strip. At least 14 U.S. citizens have been killed and an unknown number are still unaccounted for.
Flash, 67, originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, is one of them. She lives in Kfar Aza, a kibbutz in southern Israel near Gaza, where some of the most harrowing and grisly stories have been emerging during the last few days.
"They are breaking down the safe room door," Flash said in one of her final messages to her daughter Keren, 34. "We need someone to come by the house right now." She had been communicating with her parents from a few houses away.
Keren described her mother, who worked as an administrator in a local college, as someone who had the "sweetest biggest heart," who everyone knew and loved, and who had spent a lifetime advocating for the rights of Palestinians, including those who live in Gaza where she may now be held.
Hamas was elected in 2006. The destruction of Israel was clear on its agenda. They are representing people of Gaza.
The problem with that argument is that the Israelis have also voted for the fascist, corrupt leader Netanyahu who needed to change the law to not land in prison and completely failed to protect Israel or to deescalate the situation in any way. You wouldn't want to justify the killing of Israeli civilians either, so you shouldn't try and do that with Palestinian ones.
A lot of people are trying to justify the killing of Israeli civilians however.
If there's going to be an "open air prison", we should make one for the far right nationalists of every country so the rest of the world can live in peace.
Yeah, unfortunately that's nothing new… in fact it seems older than all of us and some of our cultures and languages. I think the only moral high ground you can get to in this conflict is to completely reject any notion of killing or hurting civilians.
Exactly.
I voted for a way different party in 2006 than I do now. Opinions change.
Do you honestly think if free elections were held today in Gaza, (or week ago, does not matter) then Hamas would not be re-elected?
Things can change a lot in nearly 20 years.
That was a looong time ago. And it was also during the middle of a conflict involving the entire region, Gaza, West Bank and Lebanon. Israel was ruthless and went on a murderous rampage against all these countries.
You understand that was 20 years ago right?
Half their current adult population werent even capable of voting 20 years ago.