Chicago father watches Israeli-Hamas conflict intensely as son awaits military orders

Local family of Israeli Reservist discusses conflict overseas

Tomer Danino is 28 years old and grew up in the Chicago area, but made the decision to join the Israeli Army in 2016 and become a combat engineer, following in his father's footsteps.

CHICAGO - Israel has waged war on Hamas after a surprise attack left at least 1,000 Israelis dead.

Here at home, a father born in Israel is watching the war play out very closely because his son is an Israeli Army Reservist waiting on military orders.

In 2014, Hamas kidnapped and killed three Israeli teens. That violence spurred attacks from Israel and rocket launches from Gaza. More than 1,800 Palestinians and more than 60 Israelis were killed.

Two years later, Tomer Danino joined the Israeli Army prepared for anything.

Danino grew up in the Chicago area, but made the decision to become a combat engineer in the Israeli Army, following in his father's footsteps. 

Danino is now in the reserves and was playing video games when he got the call that he may have to fight on the frontline.

"They are waiting patiently to see what task they are going to be given. In the meantime, they are preparing and getting everything ready. But what we see here, it's nothing but war crimes and I don't see anybody coming up and calling it, and saying it," said Yoram Danino, Tomer's father.

His father served in the Israeli Army from 1985 to 1989 and is from the area now known as the Gaza Strip.