3,000 Israelis find refuge in southern desert town Mitzpe Ramon amid Iran War

Some 3,000 Israelis have found refuge in the southern desert town of Mitzpe Ramon since the beginning of the Iran war more than a week ago.

Located on the edge of the unique Ramon Crater in the heart of the Negev Desert, the small town normally has a population of only 6,000 people. While most Iranian missile attacks have targeted Israel’s densely populated center, Mitzpe Ramon has been largely spared.

“You can't believe how nice it is here,” Ohad Navon, a 32-year-old resident of the central Israeli town Ness Ziona, who arrived in the desert town on Sunday, told Ynet News.

“I travel the world and have been to more than 100 countries,” said Navon, a travel influencer known as “Ohad The Nomad.”

“Suddenly, everything was canceled and I couldn’t travel or fly. I felt lost and didn’t know what to do. I woke up several times a night to go to the safe room and felt helpless. Then I told myself, ‘There are hardly any launches in the Negev. Why am I not there?'"

He recalled that he and his partner spent the first two nights at the Sherman's Hotel in nearby Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Sde Boker, where modern Israel’s founding Prime Minister David Ben Gurion lived the last years of his life and is buried together with his wife Paula. 

“It’s a cute boutique hotel and we were mostly alone,” Navon said. “Quiet, desert, no sirens. We did see interceptions in the sky all night, but we relaxed and managed to breathe again.” 

He noted with satisfaction that life in Mitzpe Ramon continues as normal despite the war with Iran.

“There are people everywhere,” Navon explained. “You go watch the sunset over the crater and musicians are playing. Cafés, bakeries and pubs are open, and people sit outside in the public spaces. At night, we walked between art galleries. It feels like a vacation. You don’t feel the war at all."

“Our population has nearly doubled,” explained Elia Winter, who heads the Mitzpe Ramon Local Council. 

“We see it in the amount of garbage, which has increased by more than 50%. The ibex are enjoying all the visitors, and we’re doing our best to make the stay pleasant.”

Gon, his wife, and their 3-year-old son left their home in central Israel and are currently staying in Sde Boker, near Mitzpe Ramon. 

“We arrived Saturday night,” Gon said. “There was talk about evacuating all Americans from Israel. We wanted to fly abroad until things calm down, but decided that if it didn’t work out, we would go to the Negev."

He recalled the challenges of running to the shelter from their 4th-floor apartment amid Iranian missile attacks. 

“We live on the fourth floor in central Israel, and it’s tough running to the shelter every time,” Gon explained.

“They gave us a wonderful welcome here and even offered us a significant discount. There are many families and children here,” he added.

“I have nothing but good things to say about this place. The atmosphere is incredible and there are no sirens. There were alerts, but otherwise it’s quiet. We haven’t even left the hotel. There’s a pool, activities for everyone and a playroom for kids. It’s just amazing here,” he concluded.

“We reached full occupancy at all major accommodation sites,” said Elinor Barzilai-Regini, tourism director for the Ramat HaNegev Regional Council. 

“Tourism groups constantly receive messages and requests for rooms. People keep arriving even when we’re already full, and any vacancy is taken immediately.”

At least one person was killed and a second critically injured on Monday when an Iranian missile struck a construction site in the central Israeli town of Yehud.

At least 12 people in Israel have been killed in the attacks so far. Hundreds more have been injured and multiple homes have been destroyed or damaged.