where would you go?

If your unbelievably small and overcrowded land was being terrorized, pulverized by bombs from one of the world’s largest militaries (equipped with nuclear bombs), and your borders were closed; if your house was not safe, mosque (church) not safe, school not safe, street not safe, UN refugee camp not safe…Where would you go, run, hide?

Over 15,000 have been made homeless, internal refugees from Israel’s house-bombings, shelling, and shooting. Some have been housed in UN schools around Gaza. In Jabaliya today, Israeli warplanes bombed one such school. Shifa hospital’s director conservatively estimates 40 dead today, 10s injured. It must be higher.

for now, photos from Palestinian journalists at the scene:
MIDEAST ISRAEL PALESTINIANS

MIDEAST ISRAEL PALESTINIANS
photo: Ashraf Amra

MIDEAST ISRAEL PALESTINIANS

photo: Ashraf Amra

The Shifa director also told me that emergency medics still cannot reach the Zaytoun house that yesterday morning was bombed with inhabitants locked inside. There are two main accounts of the story, both criminal. One: Israeli soldiers rounded up the inhabitants of the multi-story house, separated the men –15, I was told–and shot them point blank in front of the women and children of the family. Then, laid explosives around the house and bombed the rest of the extended family.

Two: Israeli soldiers rounded up the inhabitants of the multi-story house, locked them in one room for a day, and bombed it the following morning.

Either way, Israeli soldiers intentionally imprisoned and bombed the inhabitants of the house. And are actively preventing medics from reaching any potential survivors. The medics have tried to coordinate with the ICRC (international committee of the red cross) without success: no one can reach the house.

Is this logical, humane, moral? What’s going on with the ICRC? Would this happen in any other place, with any other invading force?

A house in Beach camp, off the coast and in Gaza city, was shelled yesterday around 8:30 am, seven killed, including five children.

And of course, the bombing of residential houses in the north goes on. I’m cut off from what happens in the central and southern areas, until i’m able to sit with journalists and get the news. But I know they are not excluded from this carnage.

44 thoughts on “where would you go?”

  1. Hello, dear friends!
    i am writing you from a little town in northern Spain to express you all our rage about your situation and the Israeli crimes. Since last sunday, we have had three demonstrations in our town to condemn the Israeli occupation and the Gaza invation. Several organizations are organizing new actions for the next weekend and the following days. Most of our arabian neighbours, who are working here as inmigrant workers, have shared those moments or anger with us and we have shout with anger and have simbolically burnt israeli flags.
    Our government’s attitude is a shame for us. At least, we have got a complaint composite motion by our town council. We feel useless and we’d like to be able to do more for all of you!
    I think that we are learning that we, the peoples all over the world have the same imperialist enemies. We know that we should not buy israeli products and we wish we can do more and more for you despite of our weakness.
    I know that i can represent to all the people that have been with me these days when i send you my warmest hug.
    Fight hardly, Palestine! Fight!

  3. Fuck, I don´t even know what to say. It is hard to believe tha the world is just watching this. Keep posting and keep alive. We need to hear what is going on over there. I hope we may never forget what they are doing today. Trust me, Brazil is with you guys.

  4. i read that the UN provided GPS coordinates to the israeli army of ALL UN installations – including the school that was bombed, presumably to prevent such carnage. it makes you wonder if those coordinates are in fact being used as targets instead… thank you, again, for your brave reporting. in peace…

  5. To quote Hugo “Fight hardly, Palestine! Fight!”

    This is the problem. A tiny army that are encouraged to fight and hide within the civillian population. They are directly making their own people a target of the israeli’s.

  6. Most of the people here in Iceland are discusted and furious because of those murders in Gaza. I say most of us because there are still people from the right wing that put the blame on Hamas. I´m not saying Hamas has nothing to do with this but you have to be pretty damn stupid to blame all those murders on them. Me and a group of people have sent an email to our parlament insisting that the Icelandic government stop all political and bissness relationship with Israel, i hope it does something.

    Keep being brave and keep alive the hope, without it, there´s no life ahead.

  7. Hi Eva!
    I am writing from Brazil. Thank you for your resistance and your voice. Whay you are doing is extremely important to keep the humanity and sensibility alive in the world so as to face and defeat evil. Peace upon you.
    Claudia Nunes

  8. I cry so much when I see those images, but it’s so useless… I am. And why? Why???
    In the name of power!
    And the children?
    “HEAL THE WORLD”…

  9. Sorry, IsraeliBlogger, there is no moral equivalence here. There are more than 600 Palestinians dead, and remember, they shoot those primitive home-made rockets that have hurt only a handful of Israelis over the years because their homes and lands were stolen from them by…you!

  10. To IsraeliBlogger

    Israels actions are clearly disproportionate and Israel will be judged by the world for its actions in the next few days. They must accept a ceasefire or Israel will have no future in the eyes of civilized nations.

  11. There are no words. I cannot begin to imagine the terror. I cannot imagine trying to protect your children, terrified, hungry, cold. This is just wickedness. Pure, cold, dark, evil wickedness. The Israelis play a very powerful propaganda machine and words are powerful. I think now, the world is perhaps starting to see through it, with the highly suspect denial of international journalists. If the world does not intervene soon, we should all feel responsible and guilty. Each and everyone of us must ask for action now.

  12. To IsraeliBlogger

    700 Dead, 3k Wounded, out of the 700 we are talking about 300 children 150 women… where on earth is that acceptable??? yesterday only yesterday 150+ Dead. and you have what it takes to say hammas is to blame??? if them isralies retreat to thier border bak in 1967 none of this would happen. blame hammas? under international law any occupied terretories have the right to fight back, hence hammas was elected by them palestinians in the most democratic possible way out there “Elections” that was monitored by Internationls…. i rly sit and wonder, this whole international law is it there to protect them civilians for real or support this barbaric isralei masacars…

  14. I am appalled by the suffering inflicted upon the people of Gaza and I will do my best to relate your plight to the world and condemn the genocide. My thoughts are with you. May luck keep you safe.

  15. I as a grandmother of 3 grandchildren feel ashamed to be a civilian of a country (Holland) whose prime minister in his new year’s speech spoke no word of comdamnation of the Israeli crimes agains humanity! Of course, the bombing of Israel by Hamas I can not agree, but in a way it is understandable. What other pression can they use? Israel hides these criminal acts of war to the civilized world and even for their own people. And again and again and again civilians suffer!

  16. Hi Eva, I stood still and listened as you spoke on the CBC this morning. Your message was very powerful. I am thinking of you and the civilians in Israel and Palestine.

    I am hoping for some peace.

    Carl Dalton

  17. you will win…because GOD is with you…
    I’m from iran…and here all of the people are with you…we pray for gaza and we laud you…

  18. So what’s the latest on the Zaytoun house. The usual media outlets conveniently failed to report it. Have medics been allowed in yet?

  19. I am just so heartbroken about all of this. I am not Arab nor do I have ties to the region but you are all in every waking thought. May everyone else’s eyes be open!!! May peace come soon!!

  20. I,ve just seen the footage of the attack on your ambulance on AlJazeerah , I wish more news outlets showed the truth of whats happening over there . I hope Hassan is recovering , you and the ambulance crews, medical staff are true heros so are the Palestinian people , let them know the world is with them …keep safe

  21. You asked the question “Where would you go?” I’ve thought about this a lot over the last few years in regard to the abused and neglected people of Gaza, and have come to a very startling conclusion. I don’t know where I would go, but I know what I would do. I would fight with everything I have.

    My parents drilled “Never Again!” into my head, but I don’t think they ever expected their daughter to take that literally for all the dispossessed and abused peoples of this world. Unlike most, for me it doesn’t just apply to Jews, and it’s certainly no excuse to be a criminal state like Israel. Long live Palestine and her people!

  22. The work done on this site is tremendous and tells a great story.

    Why have the palestinian government made no effort to move their civillian population to areas out of the battle zones?

  23. To Ana Sanchez, Andy Davies and Jadallah Wael – my comment was apparently deleted. I don’t remember exactly what I wrote there – although I think that it was a call for the violence from both sides to stop.

    To the author of this blog: I am somewhat offended by your deletion of my comment, but nevertheless, my heart is with you. If my comment offended you, I apologize. You are experiencing unimaginable horrors at this moment. No human being should be subject to such pain and suffering. Thank you for keeping us updated in spite of the pain.

    And again to those who responded to my comment: I would like to answer you, but since I can’t see my original comment, I can’t answer your responses directly. If you wish, we can take this discussion to my blog, where it will not disturb anyone. My post there from December 30 2008 (titled ‘Gaza’) describes some of my thoughts about the situation (I wrote it before things got as bad as they did), but I think you might find some responses to your comments there.

  25. To Björgvin:

    unfortunately in my country, Brazil, it´s happening the same of yours. The midia (TV, news) are all wright wing and Zionist biased. They repeat the Israeli propaganda as journalism. The only way is the internet and blogs like this.

    We´re praying for the Palestinians and you, Eva.
    Keep strong, you and your people.

  26. “the bombing of residential houses in the north goes on. I’m cut off from what happens in the central and southern areas, until i’m able to sit with journalists and get the news. But I know they are not excluded from this carnage.”

    No they’re not excluded from the carnage. Al-Jazeera Twitter not long ago put out that the Israelis have told people in Rafah to get out of their homes. This makes me sick, furious.

  27. Are you still with us? You didn’t post today and I was starting to worry (you’re going to have the world worrying about you now, you know that, right? 🙂

  28. My thoughts are with you from here in California. I watch the images of small dead children, their mothers and innocent victims like a horror movie. I pray that this ends for your people and God protect your children.
    I do not know who is right or who is wrong. But there seem to be the innocent paying the price. No humanbeing should have to endure such horror. I pray for the people of Gaza

  29. Dear friend,
    I´m thinking of you and all of your people in this very awful time. I feel so ashame the world, including my own country not have been there for you for so many years when you where suffering from all this unjustice force against you.
    Take my deepest wish with warm love-feelings to you of a solution soon to come and that all your suffers will bli recognized and the world to apologize to your people.(Sorry for my bad spelling.)

    Thinking of you. May you be strong and protected!

    With love from Soulway Silverstare

  31. I’m watching for news of how you’re doing, Eva, and hoping for everyone terrified and displaced and wounded by this assault. So many of us are ashamed of the feeble responses of our own countries.

    You might be heartened to know that yesterday, in solidarity with the people of Gaza, eight Jewish Canadian women occupied the Israeli consulate in Toronto. They were arrested eventually but not charged, and there has been good coverage here of their message — not in our name.

  32. Notice – The Brazilian site Soldadonofront blogspot suggests as solution for the conflict of gaza the dissolution of the state of Israel. It says the blogueiro that if the Palestinians does not have right to a native land then the Israelis also must not have…

    LOOK

  33. I’m shocked and stunned by this news. no coverage of it even in pro-palestinian channels like aljazeera. unbelievable. if any hamas militant had been hidden there -as israel claims for all these civilian casualties- why didnt they just arrest him? israel obviously lies. they are deliberately killing civilians and they want to get rid of all palestinians to live in their land as they have in past 60 years.
    keep safe and thanks ever so much

  34. Hi, Eva,
    we hope peace come fast to your people.
    Nobody deserves this suffering.
    Keep posting e keep alive.
    Greetings from Brazil.

  35. Dear Eva, the Jewish women’s occupation of the Toronto Israeli consulate has been followed today by an action blocking entry to the Israeli consulate here in Montréal. The police eventually removed the demonstrators but arrested no one; indeed they were unusually polite. Perhaps they are not pleased about IDF targeting police stations in Gaza?

    The demonstration is continuing as I write (almost noon, Thursday), in the snow drifts. There will be much larger demonstrations throughout Canada (and elsewhere) this coming weekend, and I just got a message from Italy about a mass demonstration set for Rome on Saturday 17 January. I hope these messages are of some encouragement to the people of Gaza and all Palestine, that there are people the world over who stand with them against this war crime, and are deeply ashamed of the cowardice and complicity of Western governments.

  36. There are no words. I stunned by terror and brutality Israel is inflecting on Palestinians in Gaza. I cannot imagine trying to protect your children, terrified, hungry, cold.

    Just another crime was revealed today: (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090108/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_palestinians)

    Many of the dead found Thursday were in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood, where the international Red Cross said it found four small children alive next to their mothers’ bodies in the rubble of a home hit by Israeli shelling. The neutral aid group says a total of 15 dead were recovered from two houses in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City on Wednesday.

    A Red Cross spokesman says rescuers had been refused permission by Israeli forces to reach the site for four days. It said the delay in allowing rescue services access was “unacceptable.”

    Four days Israel denied any aid to small children around the body of their mother. Imagine how the minutes and days passed on those poor children, no food, no water, not even the warmth of their mothers’ chest. Horrible, no words can describe it.

    I saw a report about you in Al-Jazeera, hope your friend get better soon, and you and all Palestinians be safe from Israel terror.

    Out prayers are with you.

  37. We shared of her suffering, that they reach the peace and the sovereignty of her country. That this whole suffering ends. We prayed for you.

    From Brazil.

  38. Thank you all for being safe and brave enough to show the truth about the Israeli massacres of civilians. They are as bad as the janjaweed in Sudan… I hope for all your continued safety and I wish I could be there helping. From Seattle, WA we are with you in trying to stop this violation of Human Rights and Interstate Terrorism

  39. Hello Eva! Im writing you from Sweden, I cant even describe my admiration for you. You are the best, keep on the good work, my prayers are with u!

  40. The Israeli government should now be considered by the war crimes tribunal if the reports we are now hearing are true. The world is beginning to wake up to the truth in Gaza.

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