Hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire with Iran, initial signs of recovery were seen in Israel, though many described mixed feelings and disappointment with the outcome of the war.
Moshe, Yael and Chafi were seen in Ben Shemen Forest, sitting outdoors and drinking coffee, away from protected spaces. After weeks spent near shelters, they said they had been waiting for the moment they could return to nature, but described mixed emotions despite the relief.
“A bit of air and sun, but I hope we don’t go back to shelters,” Moshe said. “When I heard about the ceasefire, I felt like I sat for 40 days in a shelter for nothing — we struck them, but we didn’t finish. It should have been followed through. We were ready to endure more, but it appears to be over.”
“We feel safer and are less concerned about sirens, but it doesn’t feel like the end,” Yael said. She said she tried to leave home as much as possible during the war. “We went to work because the alternative was to stay at home and fall into a deep depression.” Following the ceasefire, she said she fears another round.
Chafi also expressed disappointment. “We stopped in the middle, before the end. It should have ended much more decisively than it did. Iran should have taken a much deeper blow,” he said.
“The fighting still isn’t over,” he added. “The north is still burning. We have children and grandchildren there, and the entire north is in shelters. Nothing is over.” Despite this, he added: “We have no other country. This is our only country. This is our place, we need to fight.”
Ben Shemen Forest, usually crowded during the holiday, saw only a limited number of visitors, including families and cyclists.
“There is some relief, but we don’t know what will happen next. We’re taking the time to get some air, walk in the forest, ride a bit,” said Artyom. His friend Elad added that his main concern is that fighting may not resume if needed. “Now we feel safer. Whether we achieved the goal — that’s another question. The job needs to be finished properly.”
Uri, who also came to ride in the forest, pointed to the possibility of the return of children to schools starting Thursday as a source of relief. “I live in Ramat Gan. Tomorrow they go back to school, and that calms things down and relieves the pressure at home. We were stuck at home with the kids and felt the need to release some pressure.”
Shopping centers also saw increased activity, with many residents going out.
“We waited for this. We went crazy at home. It’s nice to go out without pressure, without fear,” said Yafit from Ashkelon. “As soon as we heard there was a ceasefire, we packed up and went out.” She added: “I think it’s a mistake they stopped. They should have continued so we feel safer. We’ve already been through several rounds — it all repeats itself.”
Sivan from Rehovot said her sense of security had not changed. “We are in Israel, this is our country. The one who should be afraid is the other side,” she said. “I’ve been through a lot in life. Compared to what I’ve been through, this war is nothing.”
“We came to get some sun and fresh air,” she added. “I put my phone and alerts on silent. What I missed most was the calm — being able to walk around without stopping, without pressure.”
Her mother, Esther, said she felt less at ease in recent weeks. “Today I felt more or less calm after the night we had, but I believe the war will return and we need to go back to fighting, to finish this once and for all.”
Shirel, who came with her family, described the impact on children. “We told the kids today, ‘There’s no more war, no more sirens,’ and they calmed down a bit after this whole period. It didn’t affect them well — a lot of fears and anxiety. I hope what needed to be achieved was achieved.”
Mira from Ness Ziona, an educator, said there are concerns about a return to fighting. “I’m a kindergarten teacher. The concern is there, but I believe we can handle it and overcome it, and we hope that maybe this time it will work.”