"Are we really so different from the Arabs? I think we share far more than what separates us," said Rotem, a resident of Eilat.

by Xinhua writers Wang Zhuolun, Chen Junqing

JERUSALEM, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Traveling southward more than 200 km from Jerusalem, cutting through the blistering Jordan Valley, we finally reached Eilat, Israel's southernmost port city on the Red Sea, where a refreshing sea breeze swept in, and the oppressive heat that had clung to the journey swiftly dissipated.

As we drove, the landscape changed. Towering concrete walls rose from the barren desert, with the silent silhouette of Israel's air defense system nestled among them. Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in 2023, Eilat has sustained numerous drone and missile attacks from Yemen's Houthi group.

"I've heard the air raid sirens dozens of times over the past year and a half," said Rotem, a resident of Eilat. "From my balcony, I have the best view of the city -- and the clearest sight of the explosions tearing it apart."

Born and raised in the city, Rotem knows every corner of Eilat. He took us to a lookout point with a stunning view, where one can see the deep blue of the Gulf of Eilat, also known as the Gulf of Aqaba, between towering cliffs.

This narrow strip of water sits at the crossroads of four countries: Jordan and Israel stand face to face across the strait, their enormous national flags visible from both shores. To the south, Saudi Arabia and Egypt gaze across the same waters.

Geographically, the Gulf of Eilat serves as a vital access point to the Red Sea. Eilat had prospered due to its role as an important transportation hub. "Before the war, this place was packed with imported vehicles waiting to clear customs," Rotem said, pointing to the now-deserted car terminal.

Since November 2023, the Houthi group has been conducting attacks against Israeli cities and ships in the Red Sea to show solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

Amid the escalating Red Sea crisis, ports across the entire region have been affected. Fears of further attacks have led cargo ships to reroute, paralyzing Eilat Port, which once relied heavily on international trade. "We used to have 12 to 13 ships a month -- now we have zero," said Gideon Golber, CEO of Eilat Port, noting that all ship traffic stopped completely after the Houthi attacks began.

Rotem walked us through the silent port complex. Several imported cars sat abandoned behind fences, their surfaces draped in white protective plastic that shimmered faintly in the sunlight, like forgotten relics.

Our interview was soon interrupted by security personnel. "You can't film here," one of them warned us. "There is military infrastructure."

Far off, two enormous warships were anchored. Close by, a handful of solitary sailboats floated across the water, remnants of what had once been a bustling tourist paradise.

Since the war began, tens of thousands of Israelis from Gaza-border communities have taken refuge in Eilat. But while they have left one frontline, they have not escaped the war -- air raid sirens still shatter the quiet here, a reminder that danger follows. Unlike Palestinians in Gaza, who have nowhere to flee, Israelis had the option to relocate, and Eilat has become a fragile sanctuary amid the ongoing conflict.

Among them are budget-conscious Israelis from the central regions. Since Eilat is a tax-free zone, shoppers here benefit from relief against Israel's 18 percent value-added tax (VAT), enjoying financial savings. Many come to stock up on big-ticket items for their households.

Our time in Eilat happened to overlap with Israel's abrupt restart of military actions in Gaza following a two-month ceasefire with Hamas. It was around 2:30 a.m. (0030 GMT) on March 18 when we were jolted awake by the news alerts and rushed to work. Later reports showed that the overnight airstrikes had resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians.

Along with the renewed fighting in Gaza, the conflict between the U.S. military and the Houthis in Yemen also intensified.

Since Israel resumed its intensified military campaign on March 18, more than 2,100 Palestinians have been killed, bringing the death toll in Gaza since the war began to over 51,000. At the same time, for those of us living in Israel, along with millions of other civilians, daily life has once again become a cycle of alertness and running to bomb shelters. The violence shows no sign of stopping, and while the human cost is mounting on both sides, the uncertainty extends beyond the battlefield, with no clear end in sight to the wider turmoil, including the instability in the Red Sea.

After our work in Eilat, we took a moment to linger on the beach. Across the bay, the lights of Israeli and Jordanian towns shimmered on either side of the water.

"Are we really so different from the Arabs? I think we share far more than what separates us. This region was meant to be prosperous, peaceful and shared," said Rotem softly, gazing across the bay.