Israel-Gaza violence: “We had just 45-seconds to run and save our lives” – Blessing Shine Agbomadzi

Ghana midfielder, Blessing Shine Agbomadzi has narrated how they lived in fear while plying their trade in the Israeli Women’s Premier League.

Blessing joined Israeli top flight side, Hapoel Be’er Sheva on a two-year deal in October 2020 from Ghana second tier club, Sea Lions.

Then 19-years-old, she had to end her stay after just a season due to the conflict between Israel and Palestine in August 2022 which spanned for months.

The 21-year-old who currently plays for Morocco club and the current CAF Women’s Champions League winners AS FAR, spoke to Radio Gold Talk Sport.

“Before the war will start, they gave us an information. They knew it was going to happen so they stopped the league for that time.

“So we will be in our house and they will you that if you heard a gunshot or a bomb blast, you have to run out of your house to hide under a staircase or underground houses, some of the houses are closer to our house.

“You have like 45 seconds to run from your house to that place.

“The Israelis are very technological so before the bomb will reach the country, they can see it so they have like one minute to track it before it explodes so that was what they told us so we have like 45 seconds to run from our house to the hideouts.

“If you can’t make to the hideouts in 45 seconds then you have to run and hide under a staircase so that if the bomb explodes, the stairs would not break so that you would be saved under the stairs.

“It was a terrible experience trust me and they sound a siren before the bomb explodes so even if you are sleeping and you heard that siren, you are forced to wake up.” Blessing Shine Agbomadzi told Radio Gold Sports.

Blessing has won the Moroccan league and the CAF Women’s Champions League with AS FAR in her first season.

She was in the final of the continental competition with Ghana’s Hasaacas Ladies but eventually lost to South African side, Mamelodi Sundown Ladies in 2021.

She cut her teeth with Kumasi Sports Academy before moving to join Sea Lions. He return from Israel saw her join Hasaacas Ladies before a move to Morocco.

She has played for Ghana U-17, U-20 and the senior female team, the Black Queens.