From Gaza, with Love

A Quest for Freedom

2008-06-14T09:42:00.004+03:00

Gaza those days
no fuel -no power-no gas
it was not nice of me, not to update my blog, and to keep you informed about my life in Gaza, but iam sure you can understand me very well, specially that you all know by now that writing for me is a state of truth, and deep feelings, I write because I want you to know the truth about my life in Gaza, and also to feel that I am still alive and I have not been converted ,to an object or number!
I write to keep the link between myself and the outside world , the normal natural world ,with a deep feeling that I am like all of us in Gaza , we don’t belong to this world any more .
we don’t belong to this silent impotent world , when we have been converted to a piece of news , small pieces of news, that attract the world attention and sympathy , for short while , and the siege continues and different crimes against humanity are daily committed by the occupation collective punishment , and by us as Palestinians , when we fail to over bridge the gap between Fath and hamas(the two largest parties in Palestine ) in order to reach an agreement , so we can confront the occupation , and focus on non violent resistance, to reach our national goals of freedom and self-determination , when peace that is based on justice prevail.
Hearing about Gaza is much different than living in Gaza

So please allow me to accompany t you in a tour, during one of my days in Gaza
WEDNSDAY 11th of June 2008
Today I felt so pleased , I felt that I own the whole world in my hands , when I managed to fill my car with 10 litres of petrol!!!!!!!!!!, oh my god how our goals has been minimised to satisfy such a basic need in this modern world , bearing in mind that , I did not fill my car with petrol since 6th of April 2008, so am sure that you can imagine my childhood happiness , but my next problem followed soon !what shall I do with this fortune of petrol ?shall I go to see my sister in Khan-yunis ?oh it is far away, (22 klm away) I thought ! I will waste the petrol)
Shall I go to the New Horizon centre in Nussierat ?
Shall I go to jabalia ?Assria centre
Alawda hospital ?
Red crescent society in Gaza
In the end I decided not to use my car , and keep it for emergencies.
And I continued walking to the red crescent society , I also kept my mask on my nose , so I don’t smell the cooking oil smell that is filling the streets of Gaza those days …………
Back to my apartment
I walked back to my apartment , walking supposed to be nice blessing , but not in a very hot summer day!!!!!!!!!!

I don’t have cooking gas at my flat, and don’t know how long it will take when I can manage to get one cylinder of this gas
I am lucky I have electrical cooker too!!!!!!!!!!!
I returned home to find the electricity cut off!!!!!!!!!

While it is getting dark and I am ,Feeling bored, hot tired, frustrated I decided, not to lit the candles and went to sleep very early.

, and hoped that ,I will have nice dreams not night mares ,How come I don’t know ??How can I have nice dreams when all the circumstances say that I shouldn’t!!!!!!!!!

In the morning
As I walked up in the morning

I told myself: they will never succeed to break up my will and stamina; they will never be able to crush my soul and determination to be part of the change I want to see in the whole world, not only Palestine

With this positive feeling I went to the Red Crescent Society, to follow up the arrival of medications to Gaza, from MECA, with the kind donation from the American people, who dream of peace and justice, and work hard till this day come true.
Yours for
Freedom
Return
Peace –
Justice
–truth
Mona

A Quest for Freedom "Fishermen Action Day"

2008-06-12T12:10:00.000+03:00

Last April's report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs identified a growing crisis. Titled "Polluting the Sea in the Gaza Strip,” the report indicated that "between 50 and 60 million litres of partially treated and untreated sewage have been flowing daily into the Mediterranean Sea since 24 January". It also warned of the contamination of sea waters which is posing health risks for bathers and consumers of seafood.

In response to this crisis, a public event-Quest for Freedom- will be held at the Gaza port on Monday, June 16th 2008, from 9:00 to 11:00. The event will include opportunities to join fisherman on their boats for a firsthand exposure to the conditions that threaten their own livelihoods, the health of Gazan citizens, and the vitality of the natural environment.

On the same day, groups in other countries will carry out demonstrations of solidarity. This is part of a growing international movement in which people around the world join together to protest the collective punishment being inflicted on Gaza.

On behalf of "the Palestinian International Campaign to End Siege on Gaza", we would like to invite you to attend. We look forward to your participation.

Sincerely.

Dr. Mona El-Farra
Palestinian International Campaign to End the Siege

My InterviewWith The Guardian Weekly -UK-Love and Resistance In Gaza Strip

2008-04-25T01:01:00.001+03:00

Love and resistance in Gaza Strip
-Tuesday April22nd2008

In an apparent softening of its position, Hamas has said it will accept a partial truce covering the Gaza Strip. But the lack of water, fuel and medicine has taken its toll and Palestinians continue to die of malnutrition and lack of medical resources. Mona el-Farra is a doctor and human rights activist working with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. She is also the author of From Gaza With Love, a blog through which she keeps the world abreast of conditions under the Israeli occupation
Tuesday April 22nd 2008

Doctor Mona el-Farra, top left, poses with a group of children in the Gaza StripI started writing in 2000 when my parents’ home was demolished by the Israeli occupation army at the beginning of this intifada. I felt strongly that I should tell people abroad about my personal experience and about what’s happening in Gaza under occupation. As a doctor working in the field and living in Gaza I witnessed so many human rights violations and I wanted people to know about it. About two years ago some friends and supporters of the Palestinian cause in Britain encouraged me to start a blog because they thought that my message was strong, but I didn’t expect the reaction – the response was overwhelming. So I continued.Gaza at the moment is a big prison, a very dire situation. Like all the community, most of the time I feel isolated, but by writing I feel that I am not alone. Other people in the world react to my writing, and I can see I am not alone – it is a sort of therapy for me.Let me describe this morning for you. For more than four weeks now we haven’t had fuel in Gaza. I have completely run out and I walk to work. I walk about 6km – or more than that because I don’t only walk to work, I have other meetings and activities that I get to by walking. I have to wake up much earlier to get there on time. While walking to work today I saw many children, women and students. Everyone was walking and there were few cars on the street. It reminded me of the curfew. The Israelis are not inside Gaza now, they are outside, but they are still controlling us. The streets are quiet, just people walking silently with grim faces. My walk is not safe or pleasant because the drones and fighters are in the sky and I can hear bombing and shelling. I don’t enjoy the walk – I feel danger. I feel for the patients who cannot reach the hospital. Many doctors, nurses and health workers come from areas outside the city – to them 6km is nothing. They cannot get to work and it is paralysing our life.Gaza is a traumatised community. Of course there is hope for peace, but people cannot see any horizon. Most people are not working. In such situations, peace becomes more valuable to people. We hope that we can live with dignity and have normal lives like other people in the world, but we are exhausted and frustrated, and spend one day to the next not knowing what will happen. But we know very realistically that our life is difficult, that we are leading a very difficult life in Gaza.Power is regular at the moment and Israel has announced it will allow fuel into the area, to the power station. But it is not enough. We are always under the threat that the power will cut off, and the generator is not enough to meet the needs of our regular routine work. Power cuts affect the patients, like those on renal dialysis, as well as our daily routine in the operating room. Much of our high-tech equipment is out of order before its time, the CT machine has been ruined and the laboratory equipment’s results are not reliable. This is the case for all the health systems in Gaza. You cannot depend on them because of lack of resources and power cuts. Because we don’t have a functioning health system we have to refer patients to other hospitals outside Gaza – children who need surgery, for example, or cancer patients who need chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The process of their referral is terribly difficult. Most of them don’t get permission to leave. Even if the hospital accepts my patient the army says: "No, this patient is allowed, that one is not allowed."It makes me angry and frustrated, but it doesn't stop my enthusiasm to keep working. I’m not allowed to collapse: I’m an activist and I should continue supporting my people, my community, my patients, so it puts an extra burden on me. I feel the burden and sometimes I am tired – but not collapsed. I believe it is my duty to do it. What keeps me going is that I feel all the time that people need me, or need my efforts. For example, I am trying to arrange for a new paediatric general surgeon to come to Gaza to carry out operations on children who cannot leave but are in urgent need of surgical intervention. If I succeed, many patients’ lives will be saved. It is the cause, the health cause, the humanitarian cause, that keeps me going. I also coordinate work in cultural centres for children in refugee camps in the Gaza Strip. I believe very strongly that these centres are important because they support children’s psychology through entertainment. Playing, dancing, painting, reading – these are important needs. OK, people are hungry in Gaza, but their psychology has collapsed; we need to help the minds of children through these activities. At least 65% of Palestinian children suffer from post-traumatic stress syndrome from living in war conditions.Support from other parts of the world is very important – some people give, but it is not enough. However, if it comes directly to the children of Gaza, to the patients of Gaza, it is going to do a lot. On another level, it would help if people wrote to their members of parliament because nothing will change dramatically unless the politics are changed.• Mona el-Farra is still looking for a paediatric surgeon. She can be contacted through her blog, fromgaza.blogspot.com. She was interviewed by Charlotte Baxter.

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Riad Hamad 1952-2008

2008-04-24T08:06:00.001+03:00

Riad Hamad

Under very suspicious and tragic circumstances, Riad passed away, leaving all of us who have known him shocked and traumatized. For those of us who worked closely with him to support the Palestinian children and keep the right of return alive in the world conscience,
Riad will be always remembered. His memory will stay inside us providing a great source of inspiration to continue working for Palestine and the Palestinian children.

I want share with YOU what I wrote as soon as I heard the tragic news of Riad's death.

I also would like to let you all know that the New Horizon Center For Children in Nussierat Refugee Camp has decided to name the English and Computer Room that was funded via Riad and Palestinian Children's Welfare Fund efforts in loving memory of RIAD HAMAD .

I am speechless, shocked and do not know what to write. How can I pass this piece of sad news to thousands of Palestinian children in Gaza that he supported and opened a window of hope and love to them and their families?

Riad, you are not allowed to die. Please rest in peace. Sure, you need to rest, but you will stay alive inside all of us who have known you and share the same vision, working hard to change the world and give the less privileged a chance for a dignified life. Your kindness, your big
heart, your strong will and your determination will stay alive in us. We will never surrender to oppression, injustice and occupation. We will never give up our right of return. And one day peace and justice will prevail.

Riad Elsolh Hamad wrote:
27 Aug 2007

Dear Mona,
Marhaba,
I wish that you could have the luxury of taking a month vacation where you do not have to worry about the innocent children, women and families who depend on you and your talents to connect them with the outside world...It would be great for you to leave for few months if that did not mean that hundreds and thousands of children in Gaza would go hungry, go to sleep
cold or be deprived of medicine or school supplies..It would be great if you can go to the Greek Isles..provided no fires are there to consume one of the most dedicated and compassionate people on earth..Mona, I hate to break it to you..but you do not belong to Basma or Sundos...you do not belong to your family...you belong to the people of Gaza and Rafah who
look up to you as a sister..a mother, a doctor..an organizer and a friend....yes, you may say I am tired all you want..and you can say that you are exhausted a million times a day and I will save you the trouble and record it with your voice so you do not even have to say it..BUT....you CANNOT give up..you CANNOT give in...YOU MAY NOT stop what you have started...a fire of compassion and love for the children of Gaza from all us who know you and know your sincerity and dedication for the children in Gaza...please do take a couple of pills , and I will pay for them...BUT Dr. Hamad says..listen young woman... get a good nap...drink a strong cup of Arabic coffee in the morning and look into the sea of Gaza..when the sun comes up...and look carefully..because you will see another sun...the sun of freedom for Sundos and Basma to travel from Gaza to anywhere they want..the sun of freedom which will allow ALL the children of Gaza to enjoy their lives without fear, hunger or bombings that would take their innocents lives away....I wish I can be there in Gaza to tell you a joke or two to get you to smile...or to remind you that yes, it could be worse....The Israelis could have won the war last summer and Lebanon could have been suffering from more settlements and more settlers...we are with you..we are next to you...be loving..be compasstionate..be strong..just be yourself..BE MONA....
Salamat
Riad Hamad

mona El-farra wrote:
marhaba Riad
salamat
do i have the right to say that i am tired exhausted , drained and very sad?
no i do not have this right , while watching my people dying of hunger,stress , lack of clear future , cruel closure and sanctions ,my people suffer ,of this longlasting occupation , ongoing atrocities ,diffrent sorts and kinds of agressions and deprivitions, this population is hold hostage, in small place called Gaza ,how can i say that i am so tired , while i need to stay strong and meet thedaily needs of people , specialy children .
Dear friend
Do you have any special suggestions
salamat
Mona ElFarra

That is how Riad Hamad showed his solidarity, supported me when things were so unbearable and I needed a friend to listen and support while living in Gaza under the cruel siege, sanctions and occupation.

from Nazareth to Gaza with love and hope

2008-04-03T10:23:00.002+03:00

REEM ALBANA SINGS FOR US IN GAZA
from Nasareth came her voice , passinate strong and with special messege of solidarity , and real act asgainst the seige , hundreds of us in the YMCA hall , in Gaza sang with Reem beatiful songs against the seige as well as many beatiful Palestinian foloklor esongs , i felt so refreshed empowered and most important not alone , while everybody was singing with the beatifull palestinian woman from Naareth , i thought how the seige and living in such small closed area of land , has affected all of us , when the normal pattern of life and talk became the suffering , the shooting, the petrol shortages , number of killed and injured , patients referala, food shortage , psychological proplems etc.........
now i felt iam in direct contact with the real world , and i strongly sensed how my world became real prison , suffocating prison , i could see it in the eyes of the teenagers who were in the hall the children who were happy singing ,
thanks Reem for your voice that chalenged the seige , crossed the false borders and made all of us ,who attended the cultural night , that was organised by Ramatan , realy empowered and refreshed and feel that we are still alive and we can enjoy normal pleasures of life as music , feel that we are humans .

Occupation: the siege and health in Palestine

2008-03-26T20:39:00.003+02:00

The Israeli occupation's closure policy began in the early 90s. Thousands of Palestinians were denied work in Israel and much of the Palestinian population of Gaza and the West Bank were denied permits, impeding their ability to move freely between Gaza and the West Bank. The Oslo peace process did nothing to prevent Israel from imposing collective punishment against the whole population of Gaza strip, as long as these measurements serve some "security" need.

The severe and harsh siege against the Gaza Strip started in January 2006. The physical siege was accompanied by a devastating economic embargo which was imposed as a collective punishment against the Palestinian people for their democratic choice. In the January 2006 elections, the Hamas party won the majority of seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council in a transparent and democratic election. The West--led by the US--imposed economic and political sanctions against the new Hamas government and 1.5 million people living in the Gaza Strip were put under collective punishment. This external siege was followed by severe Palestinian interclashes between the 2 major parties--Hamas and Fateh. Rhose interclashes were temporarily stopped many times and the political parties attempted to formulate a national unity government and bring about reconciliation between the 2 major parties. But the clear intervention of the US via supporting one party against another , ended with Hamas winning against Fateh and taking over the Gaza Strip in a bloody operation in June 2007. Another chapter of severe siege and closures were imposed against Gaza.

This siege and economic embargo affected the entire population. It affected each and every aspects of our lives. The isolation continues as well as the daily Israeli military operations against the Gaza Strip, which are a desperate attempt by Israel to stop the rockets attacks. But
while trying to stop these rockets attacks, Israel launched disproportional war and used excessive power against Gaza's population. The Israeli military didn't discriminate between civilians and guerrillas.

The power cut off was another type of punishment. The cut off of the fuel supplies, the complete sealing of the borders, and shortages of different commodities have become the norm in Gaza. The poverty of Gaza residents has reached unprecedented levels. 80% are living under the poverty line and they mainly dependent on international aid agencies. 35%of the population are severely impoverished.

I would like to explain for you the effect of the siege on the health of the Palestinian people in Gaza.

Electricity shortage and its effect on health
All hospitals and health facilities have no power at least 8 hours per day. Alternative electrical generators are used during these power cuts but this change in power source has caused many serious problems and many high tech, sophisticated equipment has gone out of order because of the unreliable power supply, e.g. CT machines, laboratory equipments and life saving machines etc. The Red Crescent Society's CT is one of many examples of expensive and crucial equipment that has been ruined by the change in current.

The electrical generators are not a substitute for normal power. They need fuel that is not readily available in Gaza. For example, I have 10 liters of fuel for my car that needs to last several weeks and I was able to get these 10 liters with great difficulty, after waiting in line for hours and hours.

The shortage of standard power and the use of electrical generators adds another burden to the health facilities' general expenditures. It also requires that they suspend many surgical operations in order to ensure emergency services like what happened in January 2008.

The shortage of electricity subsequently affects the water pumping systems, especially in high buildings and in the rural areas. During January 2008 half of the Gaza’s population had no access to clean drinking water. The sewage pumping system has also been affected, according to the UNRWA 22% of Gaza households don’t have proper sewage system, and sewage is released untreated into the sea. These combined problems will contribute to increasing health problems related to contaminated water amongst children who make up to 56% of Gaza population.

A limited and decreasing supply of electricity to Gaza strip has made the delivery of even basic services related to health, water and sanitation very difficult. The border restrictions on the supply of fuel and the banning on imports of health spare parts and machinery exacerbates an already overwhelmed health system. It will lead to further decline in the standard of living for the residents--especially health services standards--of the residents of the Gaza Strip.

Man-made poverty and its effects on health
Poverty has a direct impact on nutrition--especially children's nutrition--and that clearly explains clearly the prevalence of anemia amongst Palestinian children under the age of 5 which has reached as high as 63.4% of under 5 children in January 2008, compared to 57.5% in 2007.

The international aid organizations offer food staples but this is not adequate. Children need well balanced diets to grow in a healthy way. Additionally, whenever there is cash to purchase food, food prices are extremely high and some products are in shortage so families still can't get proper food items. Due to the difficulty of importing food into Gaza milk, cooking oil, and many other items are in shortage in the markets.

The psychological effect on the community
The continuous closure, economic siege, power cuts, and the ongoing military operations against Gaza's population are coupled with poverty and a complete lack of sources of entertainment. It is not strange that 64% of Palestinian kids suffer from post traumatic stress disorders. They exhibit signs such as nightmares, phobias, clinging to the mother, inability to focus, bed wetting and irritability.

The Palestinian community as a whole in the Gaza Strip is suffering from different sorts of psychological symptoms. Depression, anxiety, nightmares, insomnia, irritability and aggression amongst the families has increased remarkably.

Restrictions on movement
The population's right to health has been violated by the Israeli occupation. It is very difficult if not impossible for patients to access to medical care outside the Gaza Strip. There are hundreds of patients who need further treatment and referral to hospitals outside Gaza--especially cancer patients, neurosurgical operations, cardiovascular surgeries etc. These patients are routinely denied permits to leave Gaza for their medical emergencies. Many were even issued a referral and then prohibited from crossing the borders. The rate of referral was 67% in 2006 but it decreased to just 25% in 2008.

In some cases children were allowed to travel but the parents were denied permits to accompany their children. Since June 2007, 117 patients have died while waiting to be referred for treatment outside Gaza. Last October, 20 patients died. 5 of them were children.

Border closures are also impacting the quality of health available in Gaza. Our hospitals are lacking many essential medications and supplies such as anesthetics, x-ray films, laboratory kits, chronic diseases medications, spare parts for hospital beds, etc.

Emergency medical teams--while on duty and in uniform--were often prevented from doing their work during the military operations against Gaza Strip. Several human rights organizations, as well as eyewitnesses accounts by different hospitals staff, have documented these violations of the right to health. On many occasions ambulances were directly targeted by the Israeli army while trying to rescue the injured or were not allowed to reach the injured and the medical teams watched the injured bleed to death. There are countless lives that could have been saved. A few minutes or even a few seconds can make a difference for saving the lives of injured people.

The latest example is the Jabalia incursion when the Israeli army did not allow the ambulance to reach one of the injured children. The child, a girl aged 8, was heavily bleeding and when the ambulance was allowed to evacuate the child it was too late. This practice of the Israeli army during its military operations is a frank violation of human rights and of the fourth Geneva Convention regarding the protection of medical teams while on duty in war and peace. Since December 2000, 17 Palestinian health workers have been killed while on duty and 206 injured.

We are facing an impossible challenge. Gaza's health facilities have to cope with these extraordinary emergency needs with limited medical resources while at the same time trying hard to meet the routine health care needs of the population with scarce resources.

The siege of Gaza must end.

Mona El-Farra
Palestinian Red Crescent Society of the Gaza Strip
Palestinian International Campaign to End the Siege

Women International Day -Gaza style

2008-03-08T09:14:00.001+02:00

With all my love and respect to all the women of the world , i send my special messege from Gaza ,
In few hours at 11am local time , many palestinian women and children of Gaza will gather at the annomynous soldier square (Jundi Majhoul), to commemerate this special day ,
and to ask the international community and specialy the women of the world on this special day , not to be silent while real crimes are daily committed towards the children and women of Palestine ,we want to tell the whole world : ,it is not the seige or the wall , it is not the continous military brutalities against us , that will bring security to Israel , what will bring security to all is PEACE BASED ON JUSTICE ,and justice means palestinian people right to live in degnity and eqaulity , based on acheiving our national analeinable goals .
from Gaza , i call upon you all to show your soliderity and support for us . call upon your goverments to stop the seige against Gaza NOW ,
in Gaza we have so beatifull flowers to send you ,but the borders are closed so we cannot export our flowers to you !!!!!!!!!!!!in the meantime people have become so sad and frustrated and most important very impoverished , to think of roumantic flowers
but candles are so popular in Gaza , because we donot have power supply and our children lack clean drinking water ,as well as many food important items to grow up healthier and stronger .

with all my love and happy women day

animals need to be fed before slaughtering

2008-03-05T18:45:00.000+02:00

Dear All
i cannot write , but will try my best to keep you updated if i have power .

, please forgive me , what shall i tell you , shelling , shooting , Apachi heliocapters are in the skies of diffrent parts of Gaza , borders were opened today , to let in food and medications into Gaza !!!! feed us before killing !!!!

Israeli cabinet stated : the army should have the free hand ,to decide how to attack Gaza .

on personal level , i prepared my safty bag again , next to the apartment front door !!and i go to bed wearing my track suit (my domestic little precaustions)

my friend Yohannes in Germany asked in his nice email :Mona are you still alive ? , iam alive and will try to tell you all the truth as i used to do , i will keep fighting for peace and justice

love

mona

the after math -Gaza today 3rd of march 2008

2008-03-03T08:31:00.001+02:00

Here is the outcome of the Israeli military operation against Gaza , 117 killed 350 and more injured. These numbers are preliminary, as the emergency teams were only allowed to evacuate tens of injured and some dead this morning. Some who were lying in the citrus orchards of Jabalia town , east of Gaza city. The majority of the dead and injured are civilians, many suffered serious injuries. In some cases the casualties were of the same family and many children were killed .

2nd of March -Al-Awda Hospital -Jabalia Refugee Camp

69 injured arrived at the hospital , in one day (saturday 1-3 2008 ). These mass casualties are more than the capacity of the hospital's beds and two operating theatres. Many of the injured were laid on the floor because there weren't enough beds. Many had to be referred to the Shifa hospital (Gaza's central and largest hospital). The injuries were varied: abdomen , chest, head injuries, many children , and mutilated bodies !!!!!!!!!
the Palestinian Red crescent (PRC) ambulances used Al-Awda as a temporary base (makeshift point ). The Israeli forces ordered the PRC to LEAVE ITS HEADQUARTERS IN JABALIA , because it was close to the operation !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

While i was at Al-Awda hospital , the Apache helicopter gunships were in the sky firing and shooting against the resistance men. I heard the sound of many shellings and bombings, it was all too loud.

Many volunteers arrived at the hospital , to give a hand to the stretched hospital staff. The ambulance drivers were extremely exhausted , everyone was worried about the shortage of fuel. The hospital director was very busy in the operation theater. I met many injured children on the hospital beds.

Dr. Mahmoud my friend and his family -Salah Eddin street -Jabalia town

In the past three days of the military operation against Jabalia Mahmoud and his family were unable to leave home, which is in an area that had become a battlefield.
Two of his grandchildren were ill and in need of medications. Mahmoud himself suffers from kidney problems and has had a kidney transplant. He was in need of treatment and medications at the hospital. I tried several times to coordinate with the International Committee for Red Cross (ICRC) to evacuate the family to safer place , and could not. I felt helpless while I was in contact with them by phone. Later on when the shooting was so severe i lost contact, they were all on the floor, seeking refuge in the safest place of the home. The power was off and the mobiles were not charged , Mahmoud has three granchildren and four children!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know if I am conveying the ordeal we face while living in Gaza under occupation (despite appearances Gaza is still occupied, Israel controls all the borders and the seas and does what it pleases in Gaza). This is one of many stories , i thought i would like to share it with you.

I share with you how our children suffer: first because of the seige, second because of the direct attacks and thirdly because of the poverty and lack of normal life, lack of better chances of living.

A total of 117 Palestinians were killed
17 children
19 women
36 men
47 resistance men

The total number of injured were 350.

It is a disproportional open war , and excessive use of military power by Israel. Our civilians pay the price .but just to remind you wherever there is occupation , this colonial racist occupation
the resistance will continue , my share is civil resistance , but I do not blame others of their choice of resistance IT IS THE OCCUPATION THAT SHOULD BE BLAMMED

from Gaza i send all my love

Israel Intensify its attacks against Gaza

2008-02-28T09:45:00.000+02:00

27th of februray
my sleep was lagely interuppted , last night so my daughter , the shooting was so heavy against diffrent areas of the city , as well as diffrent parts of the gaza strip , the jet fighters sound was too loud as well as the heliocapters sound ,
this morning 28th of february
it is dispropotional open war , civilians pay the price , 15 people were killed , as an outcome of last night attack , including 3 months old baby !!!!!!!!!(1000 children were killed in the last 5 years alone )
on my way walking to the Red Crescent Society , (i donot have fuel in my car ), it is only 25 mintues , while walking , i can cleary hear successive explosions, from diffrent parts of the city , and the drune on the sky , and also can clearly see the security forces soldiers, outside thier headquarters , as it is under threat of bombing by the israeli military forces , i had to walk very fast , expecting the worse ,
arriving my work to find out that we donot have enough fuel for the ambulance and the other work vehicles.
no fuel entered Gaza since 17 days , our storage has been exhausted , oh my god this situation will have its desasterous impact on diffrent health facilities .
Medical workers as always work under great pessure , and while iam trying to arrange for medical shipment entry to Gaza , donated by MECA , i endure living in such dangerous situation , and lack of electricity , we have scarce power 6- 8 hours daily at the moment ,fresh and clean pumped water is big proplem for most residents of Gaza,
i feel fedup , exhausted and drained of talking about the same topics again and again , and things get worse and worse , so please understand me when i donot write ,
safty is my big concern at the moment as well as meeting medical facilities medications and medical supplies needs
justice and peace is my great goal , please spread the word

QUEING FOR 3 HOURS TO GET 2 GALLONS OF FUEL FOR MY CAR

2008-02-12T11:21:00.000+02:00

12th of february 2008

one of my days under the seige

it is so stressfull not to be able to drive my car , as iam like everybody in Gaza ,we are controlled by the lack of petrol that enters Gaza via Isarel ,i hurried up to one of the few stations that got petrol today , to my big surprise i found my self in a long que of cars waiting to get petrol , and i had to wait long 3 hours , before i managed to get 2 gallons of fuel , enough to keep me going for another 2 days , if i rationalised using my car , and that means i will be only driving my car inside gaza city , or park it and walk in a limited areas , SO HERE IAM AGAIN PRISONER IN GAZA iam unable to visit my sister in Khanunis i can go to the Red Crescent clinic but not to the hospital , many people parked thier cars and walk , or use public cars if they can find one !!!!!easily !!!!!!, basic routine practises became so difficult and time consuming ,leave alone the effect of that shortage of fuel ,on our hospitals in particular and public services in general , electricity still big proplem , patchy power is the role !!!continous blackouts makes me feel very low and in a very cold winter it is a curse .

life continues from one day to another , despite of my mind pisimism i still have the optimism of detremination (Gramchi), and in that context a lot of positive activities are going on in Gaza ,to empower the community and to stand by poor and margenalised , as a sign of resistance and refusal of injustice , and searching for peace that is based on justice

very tired and exhausted , drained and thinking of the world silence ,i send my love to you all who think of us as freedom and noble cause fighters NOT VICTIMS

Mona

Before my laptop batteries are empty

2008-02-03T21:11:00.000+02:00

4th of february 2008-Gaza

it is 2 weeks since we did not have power in Gaza , it was back for short period , now we have patchy power in all areas of Gaza strip , in my flat i have the electricity for 2 - 4 hours if i am lucky , sometimes i do not have it all day , i thought of writing something to change your mood while you are following our stories in Gaza , while i am the one who is in big need to lift my morale , it is my candles' night , unfortunately not a very romantic candle lit night , it is very difficult for me to write whenever i have the urge and desire to do so , and i need to hurry up before my laptop batteries are dead , but any way, i was trying to be charming and persuade my teenager girl of the advantages of having candles a and quiet evening without tv or new sophisticated technology , the answer came back quickly ,with a grim face , "OK, but if it was our choice !!!!!!!!!!!!!!" simple few words from my child who , like all her mates, leads an unusual and cruel life in Gaza while the occupation continues these harsh measurements of cutting off fuel and electricity against gaza population.

we resist the occupation :

by enduring this difficult unbearable life ,and still not being crushed by our occupier's foot ,continue to live and even to create new ideas to educate and entertain our children , today i was in Nussierat Refugee camp(one of Gaza middle camps ) , where i witnessed the opening of the English Club for the Kids of Afaq Jadida center(New Horizon ), 30 kids age 15-17 will have the chance of learning computer and english language ,

it is amazing, it is inspiring to see the kids sitting to learn while the center had little day light and it was dim, there were candles too , in another corner of the center , the library i could clearly see some kids reading books using candle lights , the librarian on her wheelchair, with smiling face, watching and encouraging .It was good chance for John Harvey , from Olimbia Rafah sister city foundation(USA) , to take some photos and to show his solidarity and support .

the center is in great need for electrical generator , well, another task for me ,and a great necessity for this little paradise , where the kids can enjoy whatever's possible in this gloomy atmosphere , i believe that it is so important to support the kids' psychology via entertaining activities , this is what we do in Afaq jadida and other children centers in Gaza , those are in partnership with the Middle East Children Alliances ,

before the battery is empty , with all my love i say goodbye

Great news thanks to my occupier electricity is back !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-01-21T23:50:00.000+02:00

thanks to the Israeli occupation
now after 36 hours of cut of the electricity in my flat,i will be able
to wash my cloths
to have my shower
to use the electrical elevator
to buy bread
my daughter can do her home work ,
i can watch television and loudly shout :
long live Mr. Bush and israel for this big blessing electricity , in Gaza
and i donot need to worry about 1.5 million population , who live under this cruel seige , wher ewe donot have cement to build our homes or our graves , wher emy patients die daily due to lack of proper treatment in Gaza and donot have accesability to furthur treatment abroad bcse of borders closure .
no need to worry about lack of diffrent sorts of medications inside our hospitals
no need to worry about increasing number of children , who suffer of malnutrition
due to lack of proper food , as an outcome of poverty
no need to worry about increasing number of women and children who suffer of postraumatic stress disorders,
no need to feel of insecurity, inside or outside my home , as the isreali raids continue against
Gaza.
no need to worry about my restriction of movement , and inability to travel , even to the west bank (last week one of my fiends in the WB ,passed away , and i could not go to pay my last look and say goodbye )
i am too greedy person and nagging too , i should be happy and content ,in my beatiful big cage , and welcome electricity and be very gratfull to my occupier

with lots of love , from Mona who lives in the 21st century and under occupation !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In 2 hours all of the Gaza Strip will sink into darkness completely

2008-01-20T18:50:00.000+02:00

Sunday 20 January 2008
I am writing to let you know that in less than 2 hours the last turbine of the Gaza Strip's only power plant will stop working. The fuel for the power plant fuel will run out in 2 hours.

I hurried to recharge my laptop and my mobile and to wash the clothes. I checked my candles and rechargeable lights !!!!!! I telephoned Al-Awda hospital and was really panicked to learn that we have only have enough fuel for 4 days for the electrical generator!!!!! What more details shall I give?

No electricity leads to no pumped fresh water and no proper sewage system which in turn leads to more diseases and more needs for different surgical operations. But after 4 days no emergency operations can be conducted in our hospitals.

Israel sealed the Gaza Strip completely and strictly on Friday. Even the UN food supplies are not allowed to enter Gaza. 80% of the population at the moment depends on the UN aid and different international aid agencies. The UN staff are also not allowed to leave or enter Gaza. And while Israel is sealing the Gaza Strip it is at the same time intensifying air raids and military ground operations against Gaza. In the last few days 37 people were killed and 120 were injured. Most of them are civilians. It is a desperate attempt to stop the rockets from Gaza against the Israeli villages where the Israeli citizens are complaining of panic attacks. This response with such overreacted operations against Gaza is unjustified. The cutting off of power and fuel is frank collective punishment.

I AM WRITING TO TELL YOU PLEASE DO SOMETHING FOR US IN GAZA
1.5 million of Gaza are dying slowly. They need your help and support. Tell the world that Israel's search for peace and security will not be achieved by this collective punishment against us.

Happy Eid Adha from Gaza with love

2007-12-20T15:13:00.000+02:00

Dear All
while iam writing this entry , volunteers distribute meat for approximately 1500 families in diffrent parts of Gaza Strip , jabalia , Gaza City , beit hanoun ,Magazi camp , shatie , nusierat ,khan yunis ,in some areas, volunteers are distributing the Eid meat while under real danger , because of the israeli military operation against Gaza in (almagazi camp )
we managed to reach the most needy families ,and at the moment more than 75%of gaza families in Gaza live under poverty line ,
thanks to all who were keen to work this project with us in Gaza ,thanks to Sima , Khairia , tayseer , sherief and his son , naela and abumhammed and many of you who took part in this campaign , i thank all the volunteers youth and old who played great rule to make the work go smooth , accurate and fast .
ur concern and committment to support us in palestine ,play great rule inallivating poverty and strengthen our steadfastness against occupation
form my heart i thank you all and pass great feelings of love and grattitude from each family who recived ur kind gift
KOL AMM WAANTOM BEIKHIR
MONA

ps we also distributed money vouchers for 552 families before Eid

Merry Christmas and Happy New year -Happy Eid Adha

2007-12-20T00:10:00.000+02:00

20th of December 2007–Gaza
It is Eid ALADHA Eve; Xmas is so close , Happy Eid , Merry Xmas and Happy New Year

, I decided to go for hair cut , and as I passed by the Omar Elmokhtar street in Remal area of Gaza city , this street is usually very crowded on the eid eve , but today it it was not , some window shoppers are hanging around , and I could see many children aged nearly , five to 10 , trying to sell some chewing gum.
There are not enough goods in the shops, and not enough cash for people to purchase
It was so heartbreaking , to see one man who is trying to sell, , tens of boxes of lovely fresh strawberries, well packed with very low prices , it was obvious that it was for exportation , and without any questions, I realised that the borders have been closed , after it was opened for short period to let the strawberry product out of Gaza , it is not difficult for u to imagine the size of financial loss for farmers , when the product is ready then could not be exported
It bcse of the borders closure.

The siege against Gaza has completed its six months 1.5 million of population are not allowed to travel outside Gaza ,many essential medications are not on the local pharmacies shelves as well as the hospital drug stores , tens of necessary goods are lacking only 15 kinds of goods are allowed to enter Gaza regularly , severe shortage of detergents, no cars spare parts , irregular electrical power ,most of local small industries has closed down due to lack of raw materials hundreds of local employees were made redundant , 39 patients have died before getting permit to leave Gaza for treatment in Israel , at least 2000 patients with different urgent health needs, including children with heart diseases and cancer patients , are waiting to be referred for further treatment outside the Gaza strip
In Gaza today our stories are the stories of loss of hope lack of just realistic political solution , poverty , despair ,unsafe streets irregular power , lack of clean water ,all sorts of frustrations .increasing %of children who suffer of posttraumatic disorders , desperate women and men increasing of domestic violence ,hungry kids in the streets , increasing number of children labours ,increasing number of school leavers ,lack of proper environment for children upbringing etc……..
in the middle of all that Israeli military operations are continous ongoing practise , 20 palestinians at least were killed last week , many were injured in military incursions and air rides in diffrent areas of the gaza Strip.

.
Xmas time is so close, from Gaza I send my love, and best wishes for merry xmas and happy new year, I ask you while celebrating and rejoicing ,not to forget us in Gaza,to remeber the thousands of men , women and children who takes the worst brunt of continous unjust war , to spread the word of truth, to shake the world consciousness against the big war crimes that is happening in Gaza, the harsh inhuman collective punishment against my people, the occupation crimes that is committed under the pretence of Israel security and fighting terrorism!!
When it is late, it is not acceptable for the world to say: WE DID NOT KNOW WHAT WA SHAPPENING IN GAZA

what was going inside thier tiny heads ?i wander

2007-11-12T17:19:00.000+02:00

Bilal and Nihad Nabaheen
Age 14 and 15years old
Date 10th of November
East of Beirige refugee camp -Gaza Strip

I don’t know exactly, what was going, inside the little heads, of the kids who were preparatory school children, of Al Buriege boys preparatory school
But the two tiny bodies were shot ,with many bullets, as I was told by my colleagues of the ER at the AlAqsa hospital.
Life of kids in Gaza is very intolerable, poverty, violence. Lack of security no entertainments, in simple one sentence, LACK OF NORMAL LIFE UNDER OCCUPATION AND INSIDE THE REFUGEE CAMP, populatiion of Gaza is 1.4 million 60%are children under 17 years old , two thirds are refugees .
On that day,when the dreams of two tiny kids has stoped forever ,
The two boys were very close to the fence that separate Gaza from Israel , they were very close, and for sure , they were very obvious to the soldiers, inside the Israeli supervising military tower , those soldiers are equipped with highly sophisticated binoculars and high tec ways ,that enables them to see 2 boys playing by the fence , in a green meadow , I don’t know aim not sure if they were playing, or trying to cross the border to the other world outside the big prison
.I don’t know what was going inside the tiny heads of 2 skinny dreaming .Palestinian boys by the borders,
Their sad adventure turned into tragic death, by soldiers who know for sure very well how to distinguish, between militia men and kids,
The soldiers as well as the boys are victims of occupation, the occupation that deprives the soldiers of their humanity, when under the false pretence of Israel security; daily crimes are committed in my country. And against my people.

w

on the 3rd anniversary of Aarafat death

2007-11-12T15:59:00.000+02:00

Gaza 12th of November
3rd anniversary of Mr. Arafat
what happened in Gaza today was very sad and shameful
the police opened fire against the crowd,thousands of women , men and children , who were gathering to commomerate ,the 3rd annivesary of Mr. Arfat death
at least 100 were injured 7 were killed , tens were arrested .
on my way home i saw many armed masked men

the firing is sporadic ,the roads next to my home were covered with scattered stones,
it was not easy for me to reach home , I was not allowed to use many roads , in the end I managed to reach home .
I will stop here as words cannot flow , I feel so sad

While the siege continues and the world watches with disbelief

2007-11-11T15:00:00.000+02:00

While the siege continues and the world watches with disbelief

From Gaza I write to let you know that , , at least 7 patients reported to die while waiting permit to leave Gaza ,for treatment inside Israeli hospital , many patients die slowly while waiting for referral for further treatment outside Gaza , we don’t have good reporting system to report the actual number of patients , who eventually will die due to lack of their treatment in Gaza ,if we have this proper reporting facilities ,the patients will die , good reporting will not end the cruel siege against Gaza .
The referral process of patient indeed for treatment is long, time consuming, demoralising and distressing for the patients and their families, many died while waiting for referral, I remember the death of my friend MrMansour. Thabet ,who was helped by Physicians for human rights Israel, to get the referral to one of the Israeli hospitals, mansour suffered of cancer , he waited long 59 days before he was allowed to enter Israel for treatment , on his second trial to enter Israel to continue his treatment , his health condition deteriorated, he has passed away, before getting the permit, to travel for treatment inside one of the Israeli hospitals , the list is too long , to count ,at the moment the health situation inside Gaza is disastrous .. Especially after Israel declared Gaza hostile territory, tens of essential medications are lacking, few weeks ago

On 21 of October 2007

Hospitals throughout Gaza Strip have shut down their operating
Rooms due to a lack of essential anaesthetic drugs, lives of thousands of patient’s inneed for emergency operations were threatened.

we live inside our home ,while unsafe ,under home arrest lack most of our basic needs ,
from Gaza with love
Mona

Palestinian International Campaign-End Gaza Seige

2007-11-07T07:03:00.000+02:00

Palestinian International Campaign -End Gaza Siege

For contact info : end.gaza.siege@gmail.com

On 25 October, a Palestinian patient died at Erez crossing while awaiting being allowed to cross to Israeli hospital. A week ago, a woman died in Gaza hospital with her newly born baby, while awaiting permit to be transferred to Israel for medical treatment.

These are not the first victims, and will certainly not be the last should the current situation continue to prevail.

Last week, the operations rooms in Gaza's main hospital were shut down due to the lack of medical gases, which was not allowed by the Israelis. Today Israel does not allow except 12 basic items to enter Gaza, out of over 9,000 commodities. From soap to coffee, from water to soft drinks, from fuel to gas, from computers to spare parts, from cement to raw materials for industry, all and hundred other items are not allowed into Gaza today.

The Israeli cabinet declared Gaza as hostile entity, and has declared its intentions to further intensify the collective punishment by cutting the electricity power and fuel products. Banks in Israel are also threatening to cut off all financial cooperation with Palestinian banks in Gaza.

Given all this, we have adopted the initiative of the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme to launch the Palestinian-International campaign for breaking the siege on Gaza, which has been intensified lately by the strict siege imposed on the Gaza Strip since June 2007.

The aim of this humanitarian, non-partisan campaign is to put pressure on the Israeli government in order to lift the siege imposed on the population of Gaza. By raising the awareness of the international community on the deteriorating living conditions resulting from the siege, we aim at mobilizing the efforts of the various international community organizations and governments to stop the boycott of Gaza. We call for the implementation of the recent European Parliament resolution calling on the Israeli government to end the siege.

It is important to declare that "End the Siege" is a non- partisan campaign, initiated and managed by representatives of the civil society, business community, intellectuals, academics, women activists, and advocates for human rights and peace from the West Bank and Gaza. We are all guided by our commitment to peace and our respect to human dignity.

We believe that it is a moral and ethical duty to rescue the lives of human souls living under bitter circumstances that sabotage their right to exist. People in Gaza are deprived of the simplest requirements for a decent life. We are determined to move hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder with all people who believe in freedom, human dignity and peace.

We need the support of all people who believe in justice all over the world, to contribute to the success of this campaign. We also call upon all Palestinians, whether in Gaza, West Bank, inside the green-line, or anywhere else in the Diaspora to support our efforts and join our activities. It is a genuine call to rescue people not governments or political parties. It is time to put aside any partisan conflicts and unite people in the pursuit of freedom, justice, and peace. We particularly call upon Jews whose history of trauma, discrimination and suffering should guide them to stand up today against the suffering of others.

Planned activities of the campaign:

The campaign is planned to take place from November 2007 until the siege is broken.
We will hold a press conference to announce the launching of the campaign.

Media and information technology methods will be our main tools to lobby supporters and contributors from around the world.

The first major event of the campaign will be organizing an international symposium entitled "Breaking the Siege on Gaza: Together for a United Front for Peace" in Gaza.

The campaign will also include inviting friends from around the world for an on-going individual or group visits to Gaza. The visitors will have first hand information on the Palestinian life in order to disseminate such information in their own country. Visitors will be hosted in Palestinian homes in order to closely get acquainted with the Palestinian hardship realities and their living conditions. Media coverage of the activities in Gaza will be documented.

We will rely on our Israeli friends to host and help our friends from abroad who, if not allowed to enter Gaza, are expected to stage non-violent protests.

We will arrange for a peaceful march to Erez checkpoint from both the Israeli and Palestinian sides of the checkpoint. It will include peace activists from all over the world.

Throughout the campaign, solidarity meetings, cultural activities, and discussion will take place not only in Gaza, but in Tel Aviv, Ramallah, and different cities in the world.

The campaign will include a major event in May, which is the arrival of 120 human rights activists including Noble Prize winners to Gaza on a boat coming from Cyprus. This event will be titled "Free Gaza Movement Day" and is planned by the "Free Gaza" solidarity group in USA.

The campaign will have special posters as well as a website where all relevant materials will be published. The site will give opportunity for people to exchange information, ask questions, and have their comments.

Throughout the campaign, close contact with the media will be maintained with regular feeding of information and news update.

The Impacts of the Siege on Gaza:

The Gaza Strip has two main crossings that connect it to the whole world, i.e. Rafah in the south (To Egypt) and Erez in the north (to Israel) . There are three other crossings that are used to exchange goods and bring in food to the Gaza Strip; Today all are closed partially or completely.
Since the winning of Hamas in the Palestinian Legislative Council elections in 2006, the Israeli government, with the support of the US administration, has imposed a siege on all the Palestinian occupied Territories, declared its boycott on the new Palestinian government, and refused to transfer customs revenues to the Palestinian government. After taking these measures, several donor countries including major donors like Europe have severely cut off their development assistance offered to the Palestinian people. The result of that form of collective punishment was a gradual deterioration of life in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).

Following Hamas military take-over of Gaza strip in June 2007, the siege imposed by Israel was tightened to an unprecedented level. Citing the continuing home-made rockets from inside Gaza, the Israeli government has recently declared Gaza as a hostile entity and threatened to cut electrical power, fuel supply to Gaza and to substantially decrease the number of people allowed in and out; as well as, the amounts of goods and food supplies, and money needed for the daily life of people of Gaza.

The Israeli policy of unlawful collective punishment has always had its serious impact on the lives of the Palestinian civilians. Collective punishment is expressly forbidden under international humanitarian law. According to this principle, persons cannot be punished for offenses that they have not personally committed. In its authoritative commentary on Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, the International Committee of the Red Cross has clarified that the prohibition on collective punishment does not just refer to criminal penalties, "but penalties of any kind inflicted on persons or entire groups of persons, in defiance of the most elementary principles of humanity, for acts that these persons have not committed."

The siege that was imposed on the Gaza Strip has created excessive loss and damage in the different aspects of Palestinian life. The Gaza Strip has turned into a huge prison with no access to the outside world.

The health sector has been dramatically affected by the siege. According to the latest Humanitarian Situation Report of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) released on October 9th, 2007, fewer than five patients crossed into Israel/West Bank each day for medical treatment compared to an average of 40 patients per day in July . World Health Organization has indicated, though, that an average of 1000 patients used to leave Gaza for treatment each month prior to the mid-June closures.

As a result of the continuous closures, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has reported significant increases in the costs of some food items. The price of 1 KG of fresh meat has increased form NIS 32 to NIS 40 (20%) while the price of chicken rose from NIS 8 to NIS 12 (33%). According to OCHA's report of October, 9th, during the month of September, a total of 1,508 truckloads of goods crossed into Gaza. This compares to 2,468 truckloads in the month of August and 3,190 in July. There are no food stocks anymore and that contributes to the rising of prices.

The educational system in Gaza has also been affected by the siege. With the start of the new school year, there has been a serious lack of books and a shortage of the raw materials needed for printing. According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), one third of the students started the school year without the needed text books. The closures also deprived thousands of students from reaching their universities outside the Gaza Strip. Thousands of students are not allowed to join their universities in the West Bank or abroad due to the siege.

On the industrial level, preventing the import of raw materials essential for Gaza businesses and industry, and the export of final goods, resulted in the shut down of many manufacturing businesses. According to Paltrade's assessment on 12 September 2007, over 75,000 private sector employees (around 60% of the total private sector workforce) have been laid off in the latest three months, bearing in mind that private sector employees represent around 36% of the total work force in Gaza. According to the Palestinian Private Sector Coordination Council (PSCC), the current restrictions have led to the suspension of 90% of Gaza's industrial operations.

The agricultural sector is also at risk. According to OCHA's report, the export season for Gaza's cash crops (strawberries, carnation flowers and cherry tomatoes) is expected to begin in mid-November. This year, 2,500 dunums of strawberries have been planted with an expected production of approximately 6,250 tons of strawberries including 2,500 destined for European markets. 490 tons of cherry tomatoes are also expected to be produced. If exports are not allowed by this time, farmers will be exposed to tremendous losses in terms of production cost and potential sales.

According to the World Bank, 67% of the Gaza population live under poverty line which is estimated by World bank to be $2.per day. Since human beings are the products of the environment in which they live, the Palestinian environment today is a combination of deprivation, poverty, anger, feelings of powerlessness and despair. Such feelings will inevitably lead to simmering anger which will eventually brew into more violence and defiance.

Palestinians have gone through repeated traumas of death and destruction of home and life over the past few decades. The current siege provokes the previous traumas making people re-experience the negative feelings that they have previously encountered and passed through.
It is only to be expected that in such an environment extremist ideologies will flourish. This will impact on the Palestinian society internally as well as the political environment in the whole region, destroying the possibilities of peace and security.

Putting all in a nutshell, with this immoral siege, Gaza is meant to be the city of death where everything is destroyed. It is our duty to rescue life.

Who Are We
Dr. Eyad Sarraj, President, Board of Directors of the American International School in Gaza
Mr. Abdel Karim Ashour, Director, Agricultural Development Association
Mr. Hashem Shawwa, President, Administrative Council, Bank of Palestine
Mr. Ma'moun Abu Shahla, Vice-President, Administrative Council, Bank of Palestine
Mr. Issam Younis, Director, Al Mizan Center for Human Rights
Mr. Constantine Dabbagh, Executive Secretary, Near East Council of Churches
Mr. Mohsen Abu Ramadan, Director, Arab Center for Agricultural Development
Dr. Jawad Wadi, President, Al Azhar University
Dr. Kamalein Shaath, President, Islamic University
Mr. Raji Sourani, Director, Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Mr. Khaled Abdelshafi, Director, UNDP
Mr. Jawdat Khoudari, Businessman, Businessmen Association
Dr. Riyad Za'noun, Former President of Gaza Community Mental Health Programme
Dr. Ali Abu Zuhri, President, Al Aqsa University
Ms. Rania Kharma
Mr. Nader Shurafa, Administrative Director, Ramattan Media Agency
Mr. Omar Shaban, President, PalThink for Strategic Studies
Dr. Fawaz Abu Sitta, Lecturer, Al Azhar University
Mr. Tala Okal, Writer and Political Analyst
Me. Mustafa Mas'oud, External Affairs Officer, Businessmen Association
Ms. Nebras Bseiso, Director, Palestinian Banking Association in Gaza Strip
Ms. Hanan Taha, Director, PalTrade
Mr. Ibrahim Khashan
Ms. Mona El Farra
Dr. Mamdouh Aker, Commissioner General, Palestinian Independent Commission for Citizens' Rights - PICCR
Mr. Hasib Nashashibi, Ensan Center, Jerusalem
Dr. Laila Atshan, Psychosocial Consultant

one of my days in Gaza

2007-11-01T21:35:00.000+02:00

One of my days in Gaza
Thursday 1st of November 2007-11-01
I woke up 5.30am. looked at the extending beautiful Mediterranean from my window , what a lovely day !,I felt the nice autumn Mediterranean breeze , all of a sudden I saw the Israeli gunboat patrolling the sea , may be 1 km away from my apartment , I heard sound of shelling coming from the north part of the town ,heard the local radio announcing the killing of one child a woman and many injured ,I am not to provide you with statistics, but in October alone ,65 Palestinians were killed and tens more injure din Gaza strip
Everyday there are different sorts of military operations and assaults , in different parts of the Gaza Strip, last week and not far from my home, the drone launched a rocket against one of its targets while driving his car, the man was killed in a savage way .
While watching the gunboat patrolling the sea , it was strong message for me ,:wake up YOU LIVE IN Gaza ,where there is no place for any romantic feelings, no place for saying simple thing, like , what a nice day, no place for planning any thing ahead of you , no place for you to enjoy what has been left of the nature , birds stopped singing , the war sound is louder than what left of nature , how can u feel normal when u are surrounded with poverty , unemployment ,crowd , ruins of buildings , destroyed land lack of entertainment ,lack of freedom of movement ,daily violence, lack of safety and the most heartbreaking is living with no vision or hope for future change in the political situation ,
In Gaza we all feel strangulated ,and at the moment there is mass feeling of despair . .
I drank my coffee , and hurried up to my meeting at the Red Crescent Society For Gaza Strip, with the director of the jabalia women centre , we run this centre in Jabalia refugee camp since 2000, it offers holistic care services for women , health , psychological support , health education , legal aid consultations and , keep fit classes ,
in Gaza, when poverty is the rule , unemployment is high , and violence and war atmosphere is the normal ,it is not surprising to find increasing level of domestic violence as an outcome of all the mentioned contributing factors ,35%of Palestinian women in Gaza suffer from Post traumatic stress syndrome , 45% of Gaza children too , at war times it is children and women who takes the brunt of it and pay big price of it ..
On my way to jabalia refugee camp, as I was invited by the AlASRIA youth forum Shababeek or windows, it is a cultural platform or forum, it was founded as youth initiative in Jabalia, the tilte of my lecture is the role of the ISM, inside Palestine,
I have little car accident, my foot was twisted, I changed my direction to AlAwda hospital ER room, the lecture was cancelled, iam fine it was just simple accident

When I write from Gaza , it is not only because I insist to tell you the truth , to spread the word , I also write because I feel it is my way of ventilation, I ventilate by writing to you , it is more like psychological healing and support, everyday I try like others to survive and not to get crushed under the occupation big army foot ,one of my different ways is writing .

I love you all
Mona ElFarra

Gaza Update

2007-10-31T20:38:00.000+02:00

hello friends
thanks alot for encourging me to write again , iam realy sorry ,that i let u down by not writing regularly , i have not written since 10th of september 2007thanks for your encourging comments
during Ramadan month (fasting month of moslems of Palestine )i was very busy coordinating relief fund , i managed as head of local committee ,to distribute money vouchers for 1000 families ,in diffrent prts of Gaza strip , i have wonderful collegues who help me to reach those families ,a sa team i think we have succeeded , to reach the most poor and needy , in less than a week all the work was done , but the people needs are larger than our capacity , so our work coplement other orgs and groups who works in this field .
it is realy sad to tell you that poverty level has increased in Gaza to unprecented levels ,with the embargo and economical seige , food staples prices has increased , this is the talk of people at the moment ,beside that Israel announced its implementation of the more strict seige and cutt off basic supplies and fuel , medications and medical supplies are big problem, many essential medications are lacking in the pharmacies , detergents too , patients who need to be refered for treatment abroad are denied permit to leave the country ,
according to international law we are occupied by Israel , and this put responsibility on Israel to Guarantee the supplies for the civilians of Gaza , but what Israel is doing is COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT which again is big crime according to international law .THE WORLD IS SILENT I KNOW WE ALL FEEL THAT IN GAZA, we try to survive to help eachothe rto continue living and not to collapse the burden is big the responsibility of us , who work in huminatarian field is large , we should not give up ,we canot afford to give up .
a national committee to break the siege has been formulated in Gaza , iam member of that comittee , it includes many civil society organisations and some aactive public figures, we r working hard to let the world hear our vioces , with the help of great ntworking of groups and organisations world wide , people who believe in our rights and who work in serious way to tell the whole world ,that what is happening in Palestine at the moment , has gone too far in human rights violation
IT IS PROFOUND WAR CRIMES

i told u about the seige and the ebargo and economical sanctions ,but i need to remind u all that Israeli military operations are continous

i love u all
and again thanks for encourging me to write , it makes me feel that iam human , it makes me feel iam alive and in real contact with the real world

fromgaza with love
Mona ElFarra

Gaza Today

2007-09-10T23:48:00.001+03:00

Gaza today

Since my return from the USA and my mother’s death I have not felt a
strong desire to write.

At the moment I am passing deeply through my grief. Every morning I think
that the telephone will ring and it will be her regular morning call. I
feel that an important pillar of my humanitarian structure has collapsed.
I know I need some time to restore my balance to be able to cope with her
absence; she was always my great inspiration and support with her endless
tender loving care.

It was too hard for me not to be able to say goodbye. It was hard to know
that I was not allowed to reach her because of some tiny lousy scrap of
paper, another fragment in the saga of closed borders, occupation and the
long history of Palestinian suffering - one generation after another since
the foundation of Israel and the ethnic cleansing of Palestine in 1948,
and later on in 1967 the occupation of what was left of historic Palestine
- Gaza and the West Bank.

I decided today to resume my walks inside Gaza by the seaside, my favorite
sport. I woke up very early and started my 45 minute walk at 6 a.m.

I could hear the sounds of artillery shelling coming from the east side of
Gaza City. The Israeli military operation inside the Gaza Strip continued,
10 were killed yesterday (Thurs 6 Sep) 17 were injured in AlMagazi refugee
camp as well as Alqarara village, sanctions and borders closure have
continued, along with restrictions of movement.

Only a few hundred students were allowed to leave Gaza, the majority were
turned back at the Egyptian borders. I was denied a permit to leave Gaza
for the Women’s World Forum in Seoul (12-15 September)

Every day patients are prevented from leaving Gaza for further treatment
abroad. Some cross the borders but the majority do not. Dozens of
essential medications are missing from hospital shelves, poverty is
severely prevalent, 85% of the population depend on international aid
agencies’ food distribution. Essential foods for a balanced diet, like
meat, vegetables, fruit, milk are missing from the domestic basket -
either because people cannot afford to buy them, or because they are not
even in the market.

Most of the time we do not have regular power supply or sufficient water.
The occupation decides what we should eat and what we should not, what we
should wear and what we should not, they interfere in the very tiny
details of our daily life, by imposing so many rules and regulation (under
the security pretense), they decide your children’s eye colors in case you
enjoy peace of mind with healthy intimate personal relationships. The
Palestinian situation in Gaza is economical and political strangulation.

We have become a small piece of news, not enough to disturb the world’s
sleeping conscience.

While walking back home I noticed the excessive presence of Hamas security
soldiers. It is Friday, and Fatah called people for a Jomae prayers
protest in the streets of Gaza. Later on thousands were in the streets,
but they were dispersed by Hamas, some were injured and some of the
leaders were under arrest. There is intense friction between the 2 parties
which adds more and more levels of suffering for ordinary Palestinian
people. We don’t know the way out of this situation where Hamas controls
Gaza and Fatah controls the West Bank. And now people’s daily talk is of
salaries, closure and sanctions, whereas the main Palestinian issues --
self-determination, end of the occupation, right of return – are off the
agenda. No-one shows concern or even speaks of them at the moment. The
occupation has achieved its long-term goal, hungry fighting people can’t
think straight.

This is the strategy of the occupation supported by the Western powers. As
a national liberation movement, we fell into the trap of authority so
foolishly; it is time for both parties to get on the right track towards
our liberation and independence. While returning home after my 45 minute
walk, I could not help but feel very bad about the heaps of garbage strewn
along my way and the deterioration of green areas after the continuous
razing of land and uprooting of trees throughout the 7 years of this
intifada.

I remembered my young daughter saying to me as we crossed the borders to
Gaza “it is a sharp demarcation between 2 worlds - Israel and Gaza – a
very sharp demarcation between the world of the occupied and the
occupier.” I nodded my head and made no comment, but said to myself that
one day things will change. We should all work hard until that dream comes
true, when the land of Palestine is shared between both the Israelis and
the Palestinians in one Democratic state for all its citizens living and
enjoying equal rights and when the Palestinian refugees can experience
their right of return according to UN Resolution 194 and enjoy the justice
they have not had for decades.

For myself, I continue working for the children and women of Palestine,
via different community projects, bearing in mind how to make the balance
between relief and development projects, remembering the difficulty of
development under occupation and a collapsed economy, but also not
forgetting that patients, women and children are usually the soft targets
in such circumstances - they need all our efforts to keep them safe and
sound whenever possible.

--

with love and solidarity

Mona ElFarra

Gaza sinks into darkness

2007-08-18T11:49:00.000+03:00

Gaza today
iam extremely worried about the power cut off . more than 50%of Gaza elecrtricity is paralysed.at AlAwda hospital , we have enough of fuel to run our alternative electrical generators for one week . all hospital are threatened to stop of its surgical operations and diffrent medical services .if the situation will continue .
many essential medications are lacking on the hospital shelves,
i expect the poverty level to increase to unprecented level.
Ordinary Palestinian people pay the price of the occupation , thier democratic choice and bwilderement of thier leaders.
i promise u that i shall work hard with my team to help people . with your support and solidarity we can do alot

Mona elfarra

Outrage over Gaza power cut
GAZA CITY: A Palestinian company cut off power to parts of the central Gaza Strip yesterday after Israel closed a crossing through which fuel is brought into the Palestinian area.

Several neighbourhoods of Gaza City were blanketed in darkness a few hours after the Gaza Generating Company, which supplies the strip with about 25 per cent of its electricity, said it would turn off three of its four generators.

The remainder of Gaza's electricity needs is supplied by Israel, Egypt and private electricity generators.

"For two days we have not received fuel," said chairman of the Gaza Generating Company Rafik Malikha.

"The Israeli side is preventing vehicles from approaching the crossing."

He warned that if fuel was not delivered into the impoverished territory before tomorrow morning, "electricity production will stop entirely."

An Israeli army spokesman confirmed that deliveries of fuel had been stopped "for security reasons."

"More than 1.4 million litres of fuel crossed from Israel into the Gaza Strip through Nahal Oz" between Sunday and Wednesday, the spokesman said.

Malikha urged "the European Union and the Palestinian Authority to intervene as this will have negative consequences for Gaza, especially for hospitals."

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lectures in children centers

2007-08-17T09:20:00.000+03:00

just would like to let you know , that i visited all our children projectsin Gaza
Alasria center -jabalia
raechel Chorie -Rafah
Afaq Jadida-Nussierat camp
Never stop dreaming -Khanyunis

i met tens of children , , different ages ,6-15 years old , i saw them reading , writing ,painting , dancing playing...etc....
i gathered them all in the diffrent centers i visited, and the staff too, and i simply talked about my visit to the USA , my reflections, my future hopes , i talked to them about the wonderfull people i met in the state , and how much thier solidarity means to us here in the occupied isolated Gaza .
i transfred a messege of peace love and solidarity from you all
the children were so excited and showered me with questions , the meetings went all well
i think it was so important educational meeting too to our Palestinian children , who feel lonely isolated and forgotten
i said no you are not alone, and one day people will make the change in thier goverment policies
when we all work together justice will prevail, peace based on justice is our Goal.