Water Fountain

Wandering through the desert town of Ofakim on a hot day, I eventually found my way into the park. I was the only person there. The sound of the water held my attention — I lingered near it, as if simply listening could offer hydration. I didn’t know where the water came from, and I wondered: if I hadn’t been there, what would it have sounded like? The fountain seemed new, like the park itself — set apart from the city, not inviting but waiting to be sought out. I could think of at least two fountains in the town center, more central and decorative, that stood dry and silent. This recording was made just days before the escalation of violence in May 2021 — an 11-day conflict between Israel and Hamas triggered by Israel and marked by heavy airstrikes on Gaza and rocket fire into Israel, leaving widespread destruction and hundreds of civilian casualties in Gaza.