In Gaza

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It’s pouring rain.  Farmers are collectively breathing relief, finally able to begin working on their parched land, land deprived water because Israeli bombing, tanks and bulldozers destroyed virtually all of the wells, cisterns, and rain-water collectors of farms in the border regions.

I’m breathing many sighs of relief, because the rain is fresh, brings life, brings a needed feeling of growth…

But the family of Saleh Abu Leila, with their 14 family members crammed into 1.5 tents (half the tent is occupied by a refrigerator) of poor-quality, torn fabric will be sighing with much less relief, as water seeps in through rips and breaks in the tent, floods the door, gradually streams into the tent entrance. post continues

The Electronic Intifada, 30 December 2009  By Eva Bartlett

*photos by Abu Walid

As the one year anniversary of the 23-day Israeli massacre in Gaza passes, media attention is rightfully focused on the atrocities and war crimes committed by the Israeli military on the imprisoned population in Gaza.

With two separate delegations intending to enter the Gaza Strip via its southern, Egyptian-controlled Rafah crossing, Egypt now finds itself in the spotlight for have banned entry to one convoy, Viva Palestina’s humanitarian aid convoy traveling from Jordan, and having threatened to arrest and deport international activists with another delegation, the Gaza Freedom March in Cairo. post continues

Dec 30 (IPS)  By Eva Bartlett- For many survivors of the last Israeli war on Gaza, time has not healed their wounds, physical or emotional.

Amal Samouni, 10, still suffers vision problems in her right eye. The shrapnel remaining in her head causes her constant pain and she is unable to concentrate at school. post continues

The walls surrounding the Shifa hospital compound came to life today when students from Gaza’s Al Aqsa University evoked scenes of the Israeli war on Gaza last winter.

Some scenes were representative of the destruction, savagery and mass casualties during the Israeli massacre, the desecration and shocking incidents that occured throughout the Strip at the bands of Israeli soldiers.
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Palestinians gathered in Gaza City, with flowers and candles, and remembered the over 1400 martyrs, and over 5000 wounded in the Israeli massacre of Gaza.
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*home damaged during the winter 2008/2009 Israeli massacre of Gaza.  Waiting for repairs.

The anniversary of the first day of Israel’s massacre of Gaza last winter passed yesterday.  Palestinians still locked in Gaza couldn’t avoid thinking about that hell, recalling to others where they were when the first strikes hit…what they did, what they thought, what they saw and smelled and heard. post continues

In Ezbet Beit Hanoun, family and friends of those martyred on 4 and 5 January during the Israeli massacre of Gaza gathered to honour their martyrs, one year later.

“The pain is still fresh, I still can’t get over my sons’ murders,” said Sabbah Abd el Dayem, mother of two sons, both in their twenties, both gruesomely murdered by Israeli soldiers. post continues

Walking back from the Samouni neighbourhood in Zeitoun, eastern Gaza, a donkey and cart passed, bells jingling. Everything is normal. Except today the bells reminded me Christmas is tomorrow, and today the visit to Zeitoun was about remembering the Israeli massacre of Gaza last winter.

Still, everything was normal, perfectly normal.

Amal, the 10 year old with bits of shrapnel in her head, was astute and clever as the last time I’d seen her. She remembered my name, though I’d only briefly chatted with her once, on one visit.

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Mohammed Abu Sharrar (22) was with 3 friends, walking to the eastern cemetery, east of Jabaliya, early on 27 November when he was hit by the shrapnel. Said Sharrar, “a UAV (drone) dropped a missile next to me. I was hurt the worst.” post continues

For a Strip that has been repeatedly battered by the world’s bully, has been under siege for nearly 4 years, has been ostracized and isolated –even mocked–by the international community of decision -makers and corporate media, Gaza sure is full of love and signs of it. post continues