Former Hapoel Petah Tikva Player Mark Costa Describes Living in Fear Amid Israel Conflict

Mark Costa, a former player for Hapoel Petah Tikva, recently spoke about his experience living in Israel during the recent conflict. Having left the Israeli club over the summer, Costa joined Vasas Budapest in Hungary. In an interview conducted there, he detailed the challenges he and his family faced during the war. Costa described the first week of the conflict as agonizing, recalling how he and his wife took an evacuation flight out of Israel but returned after a week following an agreement with his team. He emphasized the constant fear they lived with, noting that whenever sirens sounded, they would rush to bomb shelters, whether at home or during training sessions. Although Israel's Iron Dome intercepted most rockets, some still hit the country, maintaining a pervasive sense of danger. Costa also remarked on the resilience of Israelis, who coped differently with the situation, and reflected positively on his time in Israel before the war, highlighting his team's recent promotion and playoff success.