Gazans: 'We are living a nightmare
Palestinian women and children flee an area hit by an Israeli air strike [GALLO/GETTY]
As the death toll from Israel's aerial bombardment of the Gaza Strip continues to climb, Al Jazeera asked Gazans to describe the situation where they are and to explain how the offensive is affecting them.
Majed Badra, 23, Gaza City, cartoonist and student at the Islamic University
"Unfortunately the situation is very bad in Gaza city - the Israeli occupation is striking more and more organisations, more houses and the mosque, and my university was hit last night.
They focus on the civilians. It is easy for them.
Nothing is working in Gaza and we don't do anything. We stay inside the house, my family and I. Every family in Gaza is doing the same.
We are used to hearing these airstrikes, everybody here is used to it and we don't have any way to protect ourselves. We just stay inside the home, hearing the news, hearing where the Israeli [army] strikes, hearing the F16s and Apaches and waiting to see what will happen.
We were not prepared for the war. They attack civilians and children and don't care if we are armed or not.
"The world looks at unarmed Palestinian people as though they are a nation with an army, as though we are equal to the Israelis ... but this is not true"
Majed, Gaza City
Yesterday, my sister's house was damaged in a strike on a target nearby. Every room was damaged except for the kitchen, where she and the children were. Allah kept them alive.
The world looks at unarmed Palestinian people as though they are a nation with an army, as though we are equal to the Israelis. They think we have real rockets that cause a lot of damage or have a big effect, but this is not true.
The reality is that we don't have anything and they have struck everything in Gaza.
I have exams coming soon in my university and I want to study but I can't in this situation. So they affect my future, the future of all students here.
Why does the Israeli army strike my university and mosques and houses? I don't know the answer. You have to ask them.
The coming days will be very bad. There will be more and more deaths."
Nida' Aniss Abu al-Atta, 26, Gaza City, projects officer
"At first, the Israeli opening raid was unexpected for normal people. We were totally shocked and for the first minutes we didn't realise it was new Israeli military aggression against Gaza.
Children thought there would be new clashes between Hamas and Fatah supporters. They were afraid and started crying and running to their mothers.
I and my family were so angry, believing that no one made enough effort to avoid this. Israel planned for this and we show readiness to resist despite being powerless compared to the Israeli arsenal.
I feel angry with the Palestinian internal scene. They were unable to show themselves unified even before this tragedy.
I hate the way Hamas leaders try to reflect our people's will by claiming that we can face this horrible military machine. Palestinian people are bleeding and shouting "enough". Even our president [Mahmoud Abbas] was powerless to the extent that it makes me sick and makes me lose faith in anybody.
I expected nothing from the international community, the Arab world and Muslims. It is not adequate anyhow; they just shout and burn flags.
At the same time, I would say that I really value the world reaction in Europe and in France in particular. I call on the Arab community to be more effective and to practice its responsibility and power against governments, like the Lebanese did before in Beirut.
We all, the Palestinian people and leaders, are responsible for this crime. We execute the Israeli plans without thinking who would be the only ones benefitting from our division.
My French teacher keeps saying: "Nida' you should not feel this normal, you have to keep saying it is horrible and feel angry. Don't get used to this."
Well, I feel normal. It is strange when there are no martyrs, no helicopters in the air or reconnaissance aircrafts in the Gaza sky."
|
|
