Here in Tel Aviv, even in the midst of war, the Israelis and Palestinians I work with hold on to one another’s humanity | David Davidi-Brown

With civilians across the Middle East living under attack, it’s vital to resist the forces of hate and insist on dignity and compassion for all

David Davidi-Brown is chief executive of the New Israel Fund

First, if you are lucky, there is a loud warning alert on your phone. Then the sirens scream from all around you. Within seconds, people move quickly but calmly: to a safe room, to a shelter, sometimes simply to the nearest underground car park. Some families sleep in public shelters, unsure whether they can reach safety from home in time, young children in tow.

In my case, the past few weeks have meant hours in a shared reinforced room with neighbours, time alongside strangers – and their calming dogs – in public shelters, and, fortunately, many nights sleeping in a safe room between sirens.

David Davidi-Brown is chief executive of the New Israel Fund