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‘Thankful’: Young Houston couple visiting family in Israel returns home after war breaks out

“This is not just war, this is like madness, straight evilness.”

HOUSTON – The terrorists’ acts that sparked the Israel-Hamas conflict caught many in the region and around the world by surprise.

That includes a southwest Houston couple and their children who were visiting family when the war broke out.

The Keha family says they’ve spent the past few days hunkered down, running in and out of a bomb shelter whenever they hear sirens in the area.

The young couple has two small children and their priority is to get them home safe.

The sights and sounds of war have begun to wear on Sarah Keha and her family.

“It’s just too much, I can’t even handle what’s going on right now, let along that we are hear with our children.” she said. “This is not just war, this is like madness, straight evilness.”

Keha is from the Bellaire area. She’s in Israel visiting family in a small town about 20 minutes from Tel Aviv.

What was supposed to be a celebration has now become a nightmare.

Her children are 19-months-old.

“It’s just constant, constant fear of just run, get the kids, get the kids-we’re constantly ready to run to get them and just hearing these jets and helicopters,” she said. “And you hear the bombs even if the alarms aren’t going off.”

The terror and fear are forcing Keha and her family to weigh their options and figure out whether it’s safe enough to try and get back home.

“The thing is we have a flight on the 15th and I’m so scared because it’s at 1 a.m.,” she said. “But I’m scared because that’s the middle of the night first and I’m scared to go to their airport because I feel like it’s a huge target.”

UPDATE 10/17/2023

The Keha family spent most of the time in and out of a bomb shelter. They finally touched down in Houston on Sunday, thankful to be back home.

Sarah, her husband Guy, and their twin children Moshiko and Zari are at peace, safe from the realities of war after being in Israel for a month.

“It was very hard for me if I was without my family, I would definitely stay over there but I have to put my family first,” Guy said.

“Just calling our families every second, hey there was a bomb over there are you ok? Are you ok? I don’t know how were supposed to go back to our regular lives,” said Sarah.


About the Author
Bill Barajas headshot

Reporter, proud Houstonian, U of H alumni, and lover of all the hometown sport teams.

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