Following the near-total elimination of the rocket threat from the Gaza Strip, Kibbutz Zikim is currently grappling with a new danger they hadn't anticipated, which prevents them from leaving their homes and freely walking around the kibbutz. According to a report by Yanir Yagna on the Walla news site, packs of dogs that have fled from Gaza into Israeli territory are roaming freely in the kibbutz, instilling fear among the residents. "There's a pack of 20 dogs in front of our house, and I can't leave," described a kibbutz resident the grim reality.
Another resident said: "I left the house this morning, and 20 dogs started barking at me. I ran back home quickly. The dogs scare the residents. They bark and look hungry."
Kibbutz residents, who recently returned to their homes after months in hotels, report: "Even the children who came back home after long months are suffering from trauma and significant anxiety. The last thing we need right now is for a dog to attack someone. The dogs fled from Gaza, wandered around military bases, and now they've come to us. They are in the kibbutz grounds and playgrounds; everyone, especially the children, is afraid to pass by them. We've instructed the kindergartens not to go on morning walks for fear that the dogs might harm them."