How do you write the truth about a country where even facts are perceived as accusations? That question was running through my mind as the plane I was traveling on to Tel Aviv landed at Ben Gurion Airport, located about twenty kilometers from the urban center of the city.
My first impression was that everything in Israel was carefully orchestrated - including the visit itself from May 18 to 22, organized by the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade for journalists from Serbia and Montenegro. My request to visit the West Bank, a territory that is de jure under Israeli occupation, was denied, with the explanation that "there was no room in the agenda for additional activities."
Although the West Bank was not on the list, Jerusalem was. A city that everyone claims, but no one owns. On the way to our hotel in the Holy City, we stopped at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv. In the afternoon, there were not many visitors, except for a few tour groups from Western countries.
Photos of the hostages are everywhere, and an installation in the middle of the square is eerie. It features pieces of bread that the Israeli hostages who were returned brought with them from Gaza. The inscription in Hebrew explains how their days in captivity went.
“You should film that over there,” a guy in his early twenties tells me, pointing to a tunnel at the back of the square, designed to imitate the Hamas tunnels in Gaza, where Israeli hostages are being held.
The Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, 2023 killed about 1.200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251. According to Israeli government estimates, 56 hostages are still being held in the Gaza Strip, and 33 are presumed dead. In response to the Hamas attack, Israel launched a brutal military campaign that has killed about 54 people, including at least 17 children, according to data from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry in June of this year.
While the "Vijesti" journalist was in Israel, at least 431 people were killed in Gaza.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is currently considering a lawsuit brought by South Africa and Ireland against Israel, accusing it of violating the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, as well as carrying out acts that "have a genocidal character."
The ICJ issued a decision at the end of January 2024 ordering Israel to prevent acts of genocide, enable the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and "punish those who incite genocide," while in November last year it issued an arrest warrant for the Israeli Prime Minister. Benjamin Netanyahu and the former Minister of Defense Joava Galanta due to allegations of war crimes in Gaza.
The British Public Service BBC writes that this decision has made Netanyahu's travels significantly more difficult for Western allies, because states that are signatories to the ICC's Rome Statute are obliged to detain individuals for whom an arrest warrant has been issued, if they have the opportunity.
The 124 signatories do not include Russia, China, the US and Israel, but the document has been ratified by most European countries, including Israel's main European ally, Germany. This means that if Netanyahu and Gallant set foot in any of the signatory countries, they must be arrested or brought to justice.
Less and less support
On the streets of Jerusalem, young men carry automatic rifles on their shoulders. Although they still look like children, they are conscripts of the Israeli army, and they serve two to three years of military service. I took that culture shock with me on a tour of the World Holocaust Remembrance Center - Yad Vashem. There, reading through the lines, the militarization of an entire nation was explained. It all begins and ends with the unforgettable ordeal that the Jews went through in World War II, during Nazi Germany...
A briefing was organized at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), at which the head of the Media Situation Room in that government department addressed journalists. Itaj MilnerHe stated that the institution he heads was formed three months ago, with the aim of monitoring world media reports on the war Israel is waging.
"Don't worry, we're not doing this in a 'Big Brother' way, but more to educate ourselves. We need to know what public opinion is, what the narrative is, what messages we need to shape," says Milner.
Asked how he sees differences in the interpretation of the Israel-Hamas conflict between the countries of the European Union (EU) and the United States of America (USA), Milner responds that the situation is complex, and that "although they have the support of many countries, especially in Europe, they are supporting us less and less."
"One reason is demographic changes - in many European countries there are large populations of Middle Eastern origin, who have traditionally been unfriendly to Israel and are now becoming increasingly vocal. Of course, when a war lasts a long time, with many casualties and horrific images, there are inevitably changes in public opinion and among political leaders," he says.
The British Guardian writes that the EU is considering suspending Israel's trade status under the 2000 Agreement, due to concerns about human rights in the Gaza Strip. Seventeen of the 27 members of the community supported the initiative to review compliance with Article 2 of the agreement, which requires respect for human rights, and a decision on a possible suspension is expected by June 23. The United Kingdom suspended free trade negotiations with Israel on May 21 and imposed sanctions on Jewish settlers in the West Bank, after promising "concrete steps" if Israel did not stop its military offensive in Gaza.
According to a Reuters report, Germany has stopped issuing new licenses for the export of “weapons of war” to Israel. Despite this, the country’s government has not officially announced a ban on arms exports to Israel. The news agency says the policy change follows legal and political pressure, including a lawsuit by Nicaragua at the International Court of Justice, which accused Germany of complicity in the genocide in Gaza.
When asked by "Vijesti" what percentage of those killed in Gaza were members of Hamas, Milner replied that he did not know the exact number, but that their estimate was that "at least half of those killed were connected to Hamas."
"The official numbers published by the Gaza Health Ministry have not been verified. We do not have alternative data, but we know that we choose our targets very carefully. However, Hamas uses very dirty tactics - they hide under hospitals... Then the public narrative emerges that Israel is attacking hospitals - which is not true. The target was Hamas' infrastructure under the hospital," the source said.
Sbeata: Gaza is the largest prison in the world
The Gaza Strip is about the size of the municipalities of Kotor or Mojkovac, but it is home to around 2,2 million people, making it one of the most densely populated territories on the planet. A Palestinian journalist and photographer told "Vijesti" what life is like under constant fear of bombs, without enough food, water and other basic things needed for normal functioning. Hamed Sbeata.
According to him, Gaza is currently the most difficult place to live and the largest prison in the world.
"The situation is very difficult at the moment. People are still forced to move from one place to another due to constant military operations. The only area that the Israeli army considers safe is Mawasi (the coastal zone). The conditions are catastrophic, because there is a lack of humanitarian aid, and even the aid that does arrive is often subject to theft. There is a major ecological and health disaster in hospitals. Most children suffer from malnutrition. There is a huge shortage of food products," the source explains.
He points out that, although he is engaged in humanitarian work in a war zone, he faces many difficulties, challenges and risks due to, as he claims, targeted attacks on journalists.
"We report on the reality and the suffering of the people. However, precisely because of this we are directly targeted. We have lost many colleagues. Even when I work for large international media houses, the situation is not safe at all," he said.
When asked how people in Gaza see the international community's attitude and role towards what is happening, Sbeata replies that they feel abandoned. She explains that the support from European and other countries is greater than that from "Arab, brotherly countries."
"But the people are in great despair, because up to this point nothing has changed. Everything is going for the worse here. People have lost all hope. We fall asleep and wake up thinking only about how we will get food or water. We are living in a great catastrophe, and this war is now being waged against the people and civilians," he told "Vijesti".
Asked whether there is still room for political dialogue, he points out that it is still possible, "because everything is still conducted through negotiations with the mediation of countries like Egypt, Qatar and Turkey."
"Perhaps one day all disputes will be resolved through these intermediary countries. But at the moment the situation is still very difficult. Relations are very tense due to the ongoing war in Gaza. There are major disagreements between the two sides. Even if the management of Gaza were handed over to the Palestinian Authority, Israel would refuse that," Sbeata says.
"Genocide" and the human shield
When asked whether Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, as some international actors have assessed, Sbeata answers in the affirmative.
"Yes. Because of what we are going through, the situation and life are very difficult - we live in constant displacement and under constant bombing. There is only one hospital that is still functioning," he said.
The Associated Press (AP) reported on May 24 that the Israeli military has systematically used Palestinian civilians as “human shields” during operations in Gaza, despite the practice being prohibited under Israeli and international law. The Israeli military has repeatedly accused Hamas of using the same tactic.
Several former Israeli soldiers and Palestinian civilians testified that civilians were forced to enter buildings and tunnels to check for explosives or fighters, often under threat of death.
The AP states that the organization "Breaking the Silence", made up of former Israeli soldiers, has documented these cases, highlighting that this is a widespread practice during the conflict.
Speaking about the AP report, Sbeata says that, according to international law, this "should not be happening," but that "this war has exceeded all norms."
"... The Israeli army itself has stated that it is using civilians as human shields. This is a war against civilians. It is targeting all those who are trying to help people survive this crisis and prevent hunger from reaching the population," he says.
What the Hamas attack looked like
Five kilometers from the border with the Gaza Strip is the site of the Nova music festival, which was the target of a Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, 2023. 364 people were killed then, mostly young people, and more than 40 were kidnapped.
Among those who managed to escape from Hamas militants is Hen Malka (26). Once employed by the Israeli Ministry of Regional Cooperation, she was part of a project that connected children from Gaza with their peers across the border, and on October 7 she was surrounded by chaos, as gunshots and explosions echoed around her. The beginning of the attack, she tells reporters gathered at the festival site, was not taken seriously by many.
"When we saw the drones, we thought they were production drones - we waved at them and were happy, we thought they were filming us. But it turned out they were Hamas drones. That's how they found out there was a party going on here - from what I heard, they didn't know about it in advance. A few minutes after that, we started seeing sparks in the sky. At first we thought they were fireworks - we were naive, in the euphoria of the party, everyone was delighted, they thought it was a great production. But soon they turned off the music and we realized that they weren't fireworks, but rockets," says Malka, while Israeli artillery fire on Gaza can be heard in the background.
He then describes the panic that ensued...:
"Everyone started running, looking for their friends. A few minutes later the police came and told everyone to get on the ground, because the rockets were very powerful. From the moment the rockets started, I was in shock - frozen. I could hardly move at all."
She said she was saved by her ex-partner and cousin.
"We started walking towards the car. By then my memories were fading a lot, I have a lot of 'gaps' in my memory. What I remember is that people were running towards us, crying, screaming - some were bleeding - complete chaos. When we got to the car, I finally managed to send a message to my family and ask if they were okay. In my head, it was like a world war had started. I was in a complete panic," says Malka.
"As we were driving, we saw a strange vehicle on the side of the road and people in white T-shirts that looked like IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) uniforms, but with different insignia. The man didn't look like a soldier - there was pure hatred in his eyes, as if he was there to kill. Fortunately, they were busy, so they didn't notice us right away. If they had, I believe they would have shot at us," she adds.
She said they found shelter in a nearby kibbutz (a form of collective settlement in Israel) after driving all night trying to escape Hamas. They left the kibbutz the next day, at their own risk, because the Israeli army, she says, could not guarantee their safety.
"We left the kibbutz through the second exit. The smell was terrible. Police officers were everywhere - confused, still looking for terrorists on the road. There was a huge danger. Fortunately, we managed to get home after a three-hour drive. The next day we learned that they had tried to break into the kibbutz as well. We saw wounded people, with amputated limbs, with gunshot wounds. Scenes that I will never be able to forget," said Malka.
He says he speaks on behalf of those who are no longer here.
"I survived. Although it's hard for me to recount these memories every time, I do it to speak on behalf of those who are no longer here. To at least partially convey what they went through and for their stories to be heard. So that something like this never happens again."
"We wage war in the most humane way"
Near the music festival site, there is also the so-called “Car Wall” - a makeshift memorial center in southern Israel, created after the Hamas attack. It consists of hundreds of burned and bullet-riddled vehicles, mostly those of Nova festival participants and civilians from surrounding settlements, which were transported to a field near the Gaza border.
Major in the Israeli Army Reserve and spokesperson for the Southern District of the Civil Defense Adam Itah He explains to a delegation of journalists what the Hamas attack on October 7th looked like.
“More than 5.600 Palestinian terrorists from Hamas crossed the fence and invaded Israel. Hamas called this operation a ‘mission of no return.’ This meant that these people were ready to die – just to kill Jews. It was, in essence, the largest suicide attack in the history of mankind. We Israelis did not immediately know what was happening that morning. The first footage came from Sderot (a city near the Gaza border). We saw Hamas pickup trucks circling the streets of the city. Each vehicle had 10, 12, 14 terrorists. It was completely unimaginable. We thought our cities were safe.”
Behind him, as he speaks, is a completely burned-out vehicle. He asks if anyone can identify the vehicle behind him, then states that it is an ambulance.
"At least it was until October 7th. There were 4-5 thousand people at the festival. As usual, the ambulance was present in case of emergencies. This ambulance was the only place where they could take shelter, 20 people went inside, seeking shelter. Hamas shot, threw bombs at the ambulance, and finally launched a rocket that set the vehicle on fire. Of those 20 people, two girls survived because they were under the vehicle and managed to escape. The other 18 people were killed. DNA traces were found inside and around the ambulance," the source points out.
He then moves towards a wall of destroyed vehicles, stating that Hamas used “a special chemical formula to burn people.”
“The terrorists used a special chemical formula to get the temperature high enough to incinerate the bodies. It was all planned in advance, it was not an accident. Their message was clear. This is not a conflict over land. This is a genocidal agenda of hatred against Jews, led by Hamas. Their goal is solely to kill Jews. That’s all. The wall behind me reminds me of the pile of shoes at Auschwitz. Only today we have our own state and we will never allow the Holocaust to happen again,” he said.
When asked by a "Vijesti" journalist how he responds to accusations from international actors that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, Itah denies that such a crime has occurred, stating that "Israel is very far from any genocide."
"People are entitled to their opinion, but the facts are clear. We are waging war in the most humane way possible. We have extensive experience with wars, but we have not started any. If you look at the ratio between the number of civilians and Hamas fighters killed - it is the lowest ratio in the history of warfare. This is confirmed by international data. Many Israeli soldiers have been injured or killed precisely because we are trying to avoid civilian casualties," he said.
A village experiencing tragedy
In the north, Israel borders Lebanon and Syria. The Druze, an Arab minority with their own religion, with elements of Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism, live on the three borders of these countries. You cannot join the Druze religion; you become a member only by birth. There are about 1,5 million Druze, 150 of them in Israel. They are required to serve in the Israeli army, unlike Arab Muslims and Christians who are citizens of that country.
One of the Druze villages is Majdal Shams, the scene of a rocket attack by the Lebanese extremist organization Hezbollah on July 27 last year. Then, an Iranian-made "Falak 1" rocket fell on a football field, killing twelve children between the ages of 10 and 16, while at least 42 were injured.
Representatives of the families of the deceased children addressed journalists from Montenegro and Serbia on the ground.
"The tragedy happened here. Our children were playing football. That afternoon, they just wanted to get out of the house and hang out with their friends. When parents heard the sirens, many of them called their children to the football field, which is ironic. The siren went off, the children were playing football, and eight seconds later, a rocket hit that very spot. The boy's body Jivar "He wasn't found for almost 70 days. It wasn't until we found the lower jaw that we knew it was him," said the uncle of one of the victims.
He says that their community is very small - about 12.000 people.
"We all know each other by name, we know who has how many children. That's why this hit us hard. We're still living with it. Ten months later, the impact on children, young people, and us adults is still visible. After the tragedy at the funeral, everyone said: 'We don't want revenge.' We don't want blood for the blood of our children. We want peace. We want to talk. We want Hezbollah to leave, along with its weapons," he added.
He notes that the tragedy psychologically affected all the children in the area.
"There are about 2.500 children here, aged 6 to 18, and they are all affected. Psychologists came, helped as much as they could, but the trauma remains. Teachers say that the children still behave differently, that they have not returned to normal. Even my wife, when she hears a siren, cannot stand up. Her legs can no longer carry her. In recent months, fortunately, we have not heard any sirens, but the fear and stress are still present," he recalls.
After touring the football field and talking to the families of the victims, we didn't have lunch at a restaurant, but at the home of one of the local families. Old woman Fawzia Sabadi and her husband phase, were our hosts. After a traditional meal, she talked about her life and family, her sons and daughters, whom she is proud of because, as she says, they all graduated from prestigious universities...
The war is (not) going in the right direction.
On the streets of Jerusalem, opinions about the war are divided. On one of the side streets, in a sushi bar, a group of young people are sitting. When asked if I would interview them, they ask with a smile what it is about.
Šindel (26), an art student, says the war is going in the wrong direction.
"I personally see myself as someone who is more left-leaning politically. At the beginning, one of the main priorities was the return of the hostages. And now it is completely unclear, I have the impression that the hostages no longer mean anything to this government. The war needs to end, Gaza needs to be left, the hostages need to be released, humanitarian aid needs to be returned to Gaza, and we need to focus on rebuilding our nation."
Sean (37), the owner of the bar where we are sitting, points out that everything is heading towards an "Israeli victory."
"I would say there is only one true goal - to make our country safe again. That means defeating the enemy. That includes taking everything that needs to be taken and completely 'denazifying' it, as was the case in Dresden in World War II."
Some Israelis are not indifferent to the events in Gaza
Israeli journalist and war correspondent Itai Anhel explains to reporters gathered at a hotel in Tel Aviv that Israel is a very divided nation.
"And as the war enters a new phase, that division becomes even deeper. At the beginning there was no dilemma, everyone wanted Hamas to be eliminated. That's why the war initially had almost unanimous support. But now this phase is more problematic. Many are wondering whether this fight is militarily and diplomatically correct or whether it is driven by political interests. That question did not exist in the first six months of the war - it does now," he says.
He says some still believe that Hamas should be eliminated completely.
"Others, more practical ones, including myself, doubt the possibility of completely destroying Hamas. If that would mean mass killings of civilians in Gaza, people start to have doubts. They see what is happening in Gaza and they cannot remain indifferent," Angel points out.
"In my opinion, Hamas can only be removed with an international agreement and an alternative Palestinian authority. That would be a new phase."
The Old City of Jerusalem is deserted.
The Old City of Jerusalem is one of Israel's top tourist attractions. The place where three Abrahamic religions meet is always crowded, but since the outbreak of war, the streets have been deserted.
"In the last year and a half, we've had a huge drop in the number of visitors. We used to have to wait in lines in many places. The people who used to come - there were thousands and tens of thousands," tour guide Ziv Cohen explains to "Vijesti".
He says that such figures "can only be dreamed of" today.
"Although visitors have started to return, it's still not enough. Many people are waiting, following the news about Israel. What has been happening for the last year and a half, the war that is going on, is making many people think twice."
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