Bomb shelters in the Gaza Envelope

*photo credit Cori Shalit

I’ve always wanted to do this: create a photo gallery of the graffiti painted on the bomb shelters scattered everywhere throughout the southern part of Israel.

During our many trips around the country, they always caught my attention. At every bus stop, at streetcorners, and sometimes in seemingly random locations, there’s a migunit – freely translated that means “small shielding“ 

A migunit is a small bomb shelter without doors or windows to protect people out in the open from Hamas rockets. You know, kids on their way home from school, or grandpa walking the dog.  

You can’t miss them, because all miguniot (plural for migunit) are beautifully painted. 

I always thought it was an amazing idea, that presented a quite surrealistic view. They are places of fear, so at least they look inviting. The whole concept is very unique and telling for Israel. The entrances to public shelters in the Kibbutzim are also painted in colourful images.

I planned to take a trip just to take pictures of all this artwork. I’m grateful, that someone has done it and she likely found the most amazing ones. Here’s Cori Shalit’s photo essay published after October 7th:

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-symbolic-dissonance-between-death-and-life-saving-shelters/

Here are some more images, that aren’t in the article, but you can find them on Cori Shalit’s Instagram page bombsheltersofisrael.