According to recent reports, a significant portion of Israelis do not have access to proper protected spaces this is true in Tel Aviv as well as other parts of the country. A recent state comptroller report noted that roughly one-third of citizens lack adequate protection, especially in older buildings or less wealthy areas. Many older residential buildings, including in central and southern parts of Tel Aviv, lack built-in safe rooms, forcing residents to rely on public shelters that aren’t always close by or easy to reach quickly.
Some residents have even spent nights in underground transit stations due to lack of accessible official shelters. There have been tragic instances where individuals were injured or killed while trying to reach protected areas during sirens, highlighting the real danger and urgency around reaching shelter quickly. Community groups and volunteers have brought cultural and holiday events into shelters (for example, Purim celebrations with readings and activities organized inside bomb shelters) to support morale and bring a sense of normalcy.
