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Vivian Au

While hundreds of Hongkongers stranded in the Middle East have scrambled for flights home after the US-Israel war against Iran broke out, a devoted Christian from the city has chosen to stay in Israel, saying she has experienced far worse before.
The outbreak of war was unsettling, but Gloria Mok Chong-ngar said she found a way to maintain her inner peace in Jerusalem’s bomb shelters.
“The sirens kept ringing last week, sometimes as frequently as every few minutes, but I would play the harp in the bomb shelter and pray,” said Mok, who is in her fifties.
Mok, who works in a Hong Kong church group, has made more than 20 trips to Israel. Her latest trip was to attend a three-month course on Hebrew, something she had long wanted to undertake.
Having arrived in mid-February, she found everything going smoothly until the war began later that month.
“My schedule was forced to change, and my language classes last week were suspended,” she said.
She added that the festive Purim parade was cancelled due to the ongoing conflict, forcing her to celebrate at a friend’s home instead.

As a frequent traveller to Israel, she said she was used to the uncertainty in the region. Even as the sirens blared, she remained calm while heading to the bomb shelter, having experienced far worse scenarios in the past.
“I visited Israel in October 2024, when missiles were flying overhead much more frequently than they are now. Having lived through that, I was not scared this time,” she said.
She added that her friends and her husband were not worried about her, as they knew she was used to such conditions.
Mok said that she was staying at a friend’s house, equipped with a bomb shelter, where she sought refuge whenever sirens blared.
On several occasions, she has even had to sleep there overnight.
During the days of frequent sirens, she stayed home most of the time, keeping busy with housework or heading out to the market for food.
“Some of the local markets are closed, but the supermarkets remain open,” she said, adding that many restaurants had also shut their doors due to the war.
Mok said she was striving to maintain a sense of normalcy while living there and she also expressed her hope for minimal casualties and a swift end to the war.
Looking ahead, she said she planned to stay for her language course, which was set to conclude in May.
“I am hopeful and have little concern that the conflict will persist until that time,” she said.

Hong Kong’s Immigration Department said on Friday that about 530 Hongkongers in the Middle East had left safely, while another 280 had indicated that there was no need to follow up on their situation.
The US and Israel launched joint air strikes on Iran on February 28, resulting in the death of the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In the time since, the conflict has spread across the region. Iran has launched retaliatory strikes on US military assets in neighbouring countries, whose officials report that civilian facilities have been hit.


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Playing the harp amid sirens: why a Hongkonger refuses to flee the Middle East

Gloria Mok, who works in a Hong Kong church group, has made more than 20 trips to Israel. Her latest was to attend a three-month course in Hebrew. Photo: Handout

Gloria Mok occasionally takes refuge in the bomb shelter within her accommodation. Photo: Handout

Missiles launched from Iran streak across the sky over central Israel on March 5. Photo: AP

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A Cathay Pacific aircraft takes off at Hong Kong International Airport. Photo: Sam Tsang

Smoke rises following an explosion in Tehran, Iran. Major petrol companies in Hong Kong have raised prices since the war broke out on February 28. Photo: Reuters

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The couple said they were worried about going outside while in Dubai. Photo: AP

Empty Emirates check-in counters at Hong Kong International Airport. Photo: Eugene Lee

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Church worker Gloria Mok landed in Israel days before fighting erupted, but plans to stay to complete her three-month Hebrew course


Church worker Gloria Mok landed in Israel days before fighting erupted, but plans to stay to complete her three-month Hebrew course.


Playing the harp amid sirens: why a Hongkonger refuses to flee the Middle East

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Church worker Gloria Mok landed in Israel days before fighting erupted, but plans to stay to complete her three-month Hebrew course

Church worker Gloria Mok landed in Israel days before fighting erupted, but plans to stay to complete her three-month Hebrew course