Sun Aug. 19
1:05 pm
I’ve been back in Gaza 4 days now and now hear the familiar roar of a Zionist warplane over Deir al Balah where I live. I was wondering where they were, knew they hadn’t gone away. Now, with the passing war-roar, things seem sickeningly normal here.
Five minutes later another passes over, again north to south. Now for the expected sonic boom or real bomb blast…A minute later and the dissipated roar returns, circling perhaps. Five minutes later, another passing of the warplane’s roar, south to north. Apprehension, apprehension (although in truth, most Palestinians are so accustomed to these intrusive fly-overs they don’t think twice). In Gaza, when one hears a plane’s engines, it is never that of a passenger plane. What’s going to happen, and when? This time? Here again? I recall a year ago during Ramadan when, in the early hours of the morning, we watched rooftop as numerous IOF warplanes flew over us and on to bomb eastern Gaza, returning soon after to bomb the coast a few hundred metres away from us.
Emad tells me that the shock waves of a recent blast in the area blew his brother’s door off its hinges. His brother lives one floor below us.
Two minutes later, the roar is lower, coming from the north. Again, a few minutes later, also from north, progressively louder.
Five minutes later, again from the north.
Although IOF warplanes seem to have paused this psychological torture during the last few days of Ramadan fasting, it’s back to business as usual now.
In Gaza 
My God keep you safe, Eva.
Good to have you back in Gaza….
Hi Eva – I love Helvetica too – glad to see it used in your Posts!
Smadar introduced me to you at your talk and exhibition at Friend’s House earlier in the summer. It was a wonderful event, although, as always, too few people were there. I hear your other exhibit got good attendance – that’s great. At the Friend’s event, you were kind enough to give me what information you could about getting into Gaza as a volunteer – my goal then, and still today.
Just to give you a quick update – I am in correspondence with Gaza Community Mental Health Program and I’m hoping, yes praying, that they will extend an invitation to me to come as a volunteer for a few months this fall. I am available from September through to December and I am waiting to hear back. As I may have mentioned, I have done work on the Free Gaza Movement – two Flotillas, Gaza Freedom March, protests in Be’lin – and now I want to help, and learn, in Gaza on my own. And yes, I do have some experience with the mental health field – which is why I contacted them.
I’m glad you got back to your husband safely – if I get the go ahead from GCMHP I will ask your advice about getting in – however I know there are no guarantees. But how threatening can a little old grandmother from Canada be?
Thank you, once again, for your Posts – sad, distressing but necessary information – seen through trusted eyes.
Keep Safe,
Kate Wilson