For the mourners attending the funeral of Lili and Ram Itamari in a kibbutz close to the Gaza Strip, however, the war has already dragged painfully through for three long weeks.
Lili and Ram were residents of Kfar Aza, the scene of one of the worst massacres carried out by Hamas on 7 October. Hundreds of armed men from the militant Islamist group burst through the border fence and murdered them in their home, hours after they had a dinner party with friends to mark the festival of Simchat Torah.
Yesterday the survivors of Kfar Aza and friends, neighbours and colleagues, converged on the agricultural community in the Gaza border area to bury the couple, whose bodies were only formally identified three days ago.
As jets roared overhead and artillery rumbled in the distance, the gathered mourners were advised at the beginning of the funeral of what to do in the event of a rocket attack: lie in the sand and cover heads with hands.
The eulogies told the story of where Israel is today, three weeks after the Hamas massacre: a profoundly wounded country bracing itself for yet more loss as armour and infantry gather in the neighbouring fields before a widely expected ground invasion.
The speakers described their grief and vowed never to "forgive or forget" how families like the Itamaris had been "abandoned" by the government, which has been accused among other things of failing to come to the aid of people after the Hamas attacks and of focusing resources on the occupied West Bank in the months before. They described ordinary lives cut short and the struggle to comprehend what had happened.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Bajrami and McCausland to the fore as Rangers seal impressive victory
Rangers made a storming start to their Europa League campaign with a 2-0 win over Malmö in Sweden that should have been even more emphatic. Nedim Bajrami scored his first goal for the Ibrox club in less than a minute and Philippe Clement's side passed up several chances to add a second before the interval.
Thames credit ratings cut to lower levels of junk as default fears grow
Thames Water's debt rating has been slashed to the lower levels of junk by two major credit rating agencies, piling further pressure on the UK's biggest water company, which is rapidly running through cash and fighting to stave off renationalisation.
Austria Fears rise over prospect of far-right election win
After topping the Austrian poll in June's EU elections, the far-right Freedom party (FPÖ) seized the moment, calling for the appointment of an EU \"remigration\" commissioner to be tasked with the forced return of migrants and citizens with a migration background to their countries of origin.
'Cold and direct' Fayed's security chief accused of facilitating abuse
It was May 1991 and Mohamed AI Fayed was in a foul mood. \"I told you, no sex with anybody else, no relationship with anybody else,\" he ranted.
Allegations made over tycoon's years at Fulham FC
Sexual assault allegations have been made relating to Mohamed AI Fayed's 16 years of ownership of Fulham Football Club, lawyers representing his accusers have said.
'No sane people are going' Leadership race casts pall over Tory conference
On Tuesday, four candidates will make their pitches to lead the Conservative party from a conference stage in Birmingham. Their immediate challenge after the Tory rout this summer will be to reinvigorate demoralised MPs and members.
Pandemic as deadly as Covid-19 'a certainty', says Whitty
Another pandemic as big as the Covid crisis that killed 7 million people worldwide was \"a certainty\", Prof Sir Chris Whitty warned yesterday, as he said the UK's lack of intensive care capacity for the sickest patients was a \"political choice\".
Naomi Campbell banned as charity trustee for five years
Naomi Campbell has been banned from being a charity trustee after a watchdog investigation uncovered widespread evidence of financial misconduct at the poverty relief charity she founded.
Family haunted by last moments of teenager killed by 12-year-olds
The family of a man killed by the UK's youngest knife murderers have said they are haunted by thoughts of his last moments and \"how scared he must have been\".
London rail stations to be shut for up to eight days over festive period
Some of London's main railway stations will be closed and train services diverted at Christmas time, Network Rail has said.
