Yossi Tamsit, a resident of the southern Israeli city of Sderot, spoke to Arutz Sheva on Tuesday about the feelings of the residents of the city in light of the current wave of escalation.
Gaza terrorists fired nearly 500 rockets and mortars toward southern Israel starting on Sunday night and until Tuesday afternoon, when reports emerged that an agreement on a ceasefire had been reached between Hamas and Israel.
Tamsit's home was twice in the past hit by Kassam rockets, with family members suffering injuries both times. This time, when the current wave of rockets began, his wife and children immediately left the city.
"I slept here alone. When your family leaves you, it's a bad situation," he said, adding, "I think our country has gone morally bankrupt, we need to restore deterrence. Hamas currently has the deterrent power, not us. They decide when to attack and when there will be a ceasefire."
"We have to strike them until they break down, topple the Hamas regime in Gaza, harm its senior officials. No more of a truce whenever they feel like it. I am willing to suffer another month [of rocket attacks] in this city, if it results in quiet. 80 percent of this city is traumatized," continued Tamsit.
Tamsit recalled that in 2007, Binyamin Netanyahu, then head of the opposition, attended his housewarming party which was held after he renovated his home which had been hit by a rocket.
"He told me, 'Yossi, I promise you one thing - there will be no Kassams when I am in office. I will stop it all.’ Nothing happened. He was just showing off.”
“The people from Beit Hanoun should be the ones running away from their homes, not me. Why should I be fleeing my own country?” said Tamsit.
Watch the full interview (in Hebrew) below: