Russian comedian and entertainer Mikhail Shats, who has been described by some as a foreign media agent within the Russian Federation, chose not to leave Israel during the worsening of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This is the core of his discussion in the YouTube podcast titled Dad, Close the Door.
On October 7, the same day Hamas launched attacks on Israel, he departed the country for Europe.
He recalled that his plane took off from Tel Aviv about 20 minutes before the outbreak of the war, making it one of the last flights that left relatively calmly.
Nevertheless, Schatz made the decision to return later, convinced that the conflict would endure for a long period and that staying away would not help anyone, including himself.
He noted that his relatives urged him to stay away and questioned his judgment for returning to a region in turmoil.
Before returning, Schatz had offered to assist by moving items or people and had agreed to provide shelter to those in need at his home. The blogger reported that a number of his acquaintances had already died in clashes with Hamas, underscoring the danger and emotional toll of the situation.
In another development, actress Yana Troyanova faced a request to file a criminal case, which was noted in discussions surrounding this broader news cycle.