Ashkelon a ghost city as Gaza's rockets rain down

The central bus station of Israel's Ashkelon was deserted, like almost the entire city these days.

Two old men of Ethiopian origin stood near the ticket office, staring at the list of destinations. But they did not approach to buy tickets.

On a bench at the platform for the bus to Jerusalem sat a woman in her 70s, hunched over and radiating restlessness.

Sima, a widow born in Ashkelon, said she'd accepted an offer from Ashkelon's welfare services to evacuate to Jerusalem.

This morning, just as she was boarding a bus, she discovered that due to stress she had forgotten some of her medication and other important items.

"I ran to my apartment, I took what I needed, and now I'm here waiting for the bus to Jerusalem, dying of fear that there will be more missiles before it arrives," she told Middle East Eye, taking nervous glances at the sky as if trying to spot another Palestinian rocket before it arrives.

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