An Israel activist who grew up in Southampton and a local businessman whose son has been called up to fight in the country have spoken about how the current conflict is affecting their lives.

Dr Aurel Diamond, 34, was woken by the sound of rocket warning sirens at 6.30am on Saturday, October 7, at his home in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv.

He told the Echo: “Everything has gone completely upside down.

“At first, I wasn’t exactly sure what had happened and then heard the news of the Hamas ground offensive.

“People aren’t sleeping, there’s not a single person who doesn’t know someone who has either been kidnapped or killed.”

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The current conflict began on Saturday when Palestinian militant group Hamas, which the UK among other nations considers a terrorist group, launched missile strikes in Israel, killed hundreds of people, including those attending a music festival, and took hostages.

They effectively rule the Gaza strip, a small portion of contested land in the south of Israel, and want to see the destruction of the Jewish state.

Dr Diamond went to King Edward VI School in Southampton before relocating to Israel with a PhD in public policy.

“I had a wonderful childhood in Hampshire”, he said.

“I was the only Jewish kid in the class, I always felt loved and supported.”

The pro-democracy peace activist – originally born in Canada – emigrated to Israel 11 years ago.

He is now helping organise donations to support volunteers on the front line after 360,000 people were recalled for voluntary military service.

Daily Echo:

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He said: “Nobody is working, the mobilisation of Israel has been massive and happened so quickly, so everyone has been affected in some way.

“It’s important for me to stress how frightening this is for everybody.

“Hamas terrorists have slaughtered innocent people.

“I worry for my safety. There’s a collective trauma for Jewish people here – many of whom are descendants of refugees and Holocaust survivors. It raises huge trauma for us.”

Florin Delia, 46, owner of photography business Light Bay Studio in Southampton, said being a parent is ‘difficult’ right now, as his 23-year-old son Andrew was one of the 360,000 volunteers recalled for military service.

Daily Echo:

Florin said: “Now I understand how my mum felt when I was called for military service as an 18-year-old.

“I had spoken with my son on the phone last Friday night and he was in a restaurant with his girlfriend in Jerusalem.

“Then all of a sudden, the next morning something very different had happened and we just pray he’ll be okay.

“It’s difficult not being in constant contact with him; before the war he was thinking of moving to the UK.

“In 2023, we should have a better level of understanding in society and know that war isn’t okay.

“So many people are dying on both sides, fighting a war made by politicians.”