Pray for Gaza

Among my emails this evening was one from a former student, a Palestinian.  He is working in Africa, but his family is in Gaza.  After reading his email, I decided it was important to stop what I was doing and share it with Dormgrandpop readers.  The letter follows. ( I have made only a few changes to preserve the anonymity of his family.)

Thanks very much for your e-mails’ support again, and thanks for your phone calls. This makes me feel that I am not a lone, and many people in the world cares about people in Gaza. I passed your greetings and support letters to my family, which gave them support.  

Fifteen days and the war on Gaza still goes on, a war that does not differentiate between a child, a woman, or old man. A war that does not disguise between a school, a mosque or a house.

I am still following the news minute by minute to check on my family, it is so hard to see a real war going against your people, and you far a way and cant do anything to help my people.

Western media shows the war as it is against Hamas, yet what is going on the ground is a war against civilian people. So far, more than 800 civilians have been killed and over 3500 injures. 35% are children and women. Mosques, UNRWA schools, and houses are attacked, which means that no place is safe in Gaza any more.

 All of my family are staying in one room, and expecting that a rocket could attack them any moment, they prefer to die all together. My little brothers and sisters are very scared and don’t sleep well bombing does not stop day and night.

 My younger sister is pregnant, and she is due next week, and she lives a very hard time. My niece  3 years is very scared as well, and when I talked to her she said: “I am afraid from the rocket, it destroys our house, it killed my friends whom went with me to the kindergarten”.  A neighbor 4 years old, and another  3.5 years old have been attacked by an F16 rocket while they were staying with their family at home. The rocket killed three more of their  brothers aged 13,  12 and 15. Their sister  is 11 years old lost her arm and their mother is in trauma. This is an example of a family, lives not far from my house, of the massacre. In addition, eight houses in my neighbourhood have been completely destroyed. This is why I am so worry about my family.

 Another friend 23 years old from Rafa city (South Gaza Strip) went on the first day of the war to check on his fiancé in Jabalia camp, he was having a cup of tea with his fiancé when a rocket attacked the house and killed him.

 I can not express enough how dirty this war is, and the amount of destruction it made. My family tells me that Gaza is completely different now. Israeli aircrafts changed the whole Gaza Strip. This happens after a year and a half of closure, in a lack of basic goods and gas. My family is staying with no power or water for fifteen days. Luckily, the telecommunication is still working, otherwise I will go crazy.

Hospitals in Gaza lack for medical support, it reached a point where injures are treated on the ground, as there are no more beds available. Fridges can not accept any more in the light of dramatic increase in number.

 Security Council called for ceasefire yesterday, and Israeli forces do not care about it. I am wondering when, “the what so called International Community”, takes a real action on the ground to stop this war.

 People in Gaza are very happy of all demonstrations going on in the world, and make them feel that they are not a lone.

Palestinians are human being, and they are asking for protection and freedom as other people in the world. They want to live peacefully, and move freely. Yet, they still need your prayer.

 My family still safe.

 Please find below a letter from my sister.

 

Regards,

 

WAR IS CRUEL

      Actually, I am living in a place which you can consider quiet if to be compared with other places in the devastated Gaza Strip. However, as long as you live in this small province, you are targeted. At least, you hear the too annoying sound of the reconnaissance plane which does not leave the sky of the Gaza Strip at all. Moreover you have to hear the frightful sound of the air strikes of the F16 airplanes. Every type of destroying weapons is used by Israel against unarmed civilians. Too many people are now homeless and they don't know what harm they cause to others in order to deserve such pitiless punishment. I imagined myself in their situation: away from my dearest home, in this very cold weather, and without any basic supplies... It's really a grave circumstances which I hope that no body in this world goes through. I imagined that in few seconds my home has become a mass of stones. Of course, in this case, I lost every thing: clothes, toys, books, journals,.... till the biggest thing at my house. Nothing is left, NOTHING. At that moment, I burst in tears and opened a drawer in my private room in which I keep my precious things. I looked at the photo album, the souvenirs, gifts, official documents, etc. Then, I asked myself where can I hide them in order not to be burnt by the explosions that might target the house -all what I want is to leave something for remembrance. Alas! I found no place because every span of the land of Gaza is under risk. I couldn't stop crying; the feeling of being tyrannized is too bitter. I'm sure that those who were treated unjusticly one day understand my feelings.

The disaster is continuous ....15.....

Pray for  Gaza