From Gaza, with Love

Monday, August 28, 2006

Gaza today after 2 months of the Israeli military operation

There are continous Israeli military operations against Gaza. In the east part of the city 8 people were killed and 17 injured, including journalists for Reuters. There is heavy shooting from the gunboats. Every day hospitals receive the killed and injured people. Our hospitals' use of diesel has increased since they must use electrical generators to run the operation rooms. I was told by the staff of the diagnostic center at the Palestinian Red Crescent Society for the Gaza Strip that the CT and mamogramm were not functioning properly due to the improper current supply. Those are highly sophisticated equipments and give very important diagnostic health services for patients in the whole Gaza Strip of 1.5 milion people.

Thousands of children suffer from post traumatic stress syndrome symptoms. They are going back to school next Saturday but there is no water, no electricity, no proper sewage system, no entertainment, no cash to buy food. The borders are closed; just opened rarely to let in some medications and humanitarian aid for the UNRWA. Public health has been greatly affected. An increasing number of families rely on aid to for food so many children do not have well balanced meals. Middle East Children's Alliance distributed 500 school bags and stationeries for kids of Gaza.

Life under occupation continues ....and the whole world's goverments are not only silent but amused watching Gaza and its population's humanitarian suffering. They are hurrying with impotent solutions while forgetting the origin of the proplem: OCCUPATION AND INJUSTICE

Mona

posted by Mona_Elfarra at 7:29 AM

19 Comments:

  • This post breaks my heart!! Why on earth do they do that?? How dehumanized does anyone have to be in order to be even capable to behave this way??
    Mona .. PLEASE hang in there, STAY STRONG!! I know you're giving your BEST - I help and support you as much as I can - PROMISE!! :)
    BIG HUG!! :)

    By Blogger Karin, at 8/28/2006 8:37 PM  

  • as salamu aleykum,

    I really don't know what to write. The situation is unacceptable. I don't know what to write or say or do.

    You and all the brothers and sisters are in our du'a.

    //Imaan al suediya

    By Blogger Imaan On Ice, at 8/28/2006 9:33 PM  

  • There is no excuse for treating a whole people in this way. Your Israeli abusers sow the whirlwind, just as my American government does.

    We saw a bumper sticker today that is true of both the US and America: "We are creating enemies faster than we can kill them."

    It is time and past time for the peoples of the world to turn away from oppression and toward justice. I just want to send you a note of encouragement -- some of us do know that you are suffering there in Gaza.

    By Blogger janinsanfran, at 8/29/2006 6:28 AM  

  • Mona,

    I can only hope that our leaders exhibit the wisdom and courage needed to end this senseless violence. I read every one of your posts, Mona. Your words are painful to me - not just as a Jew and a father, but as a human being. Our Palestinian brothers and sisters deserve our love and respect as children of a common ancester Abraham (Ibrahim). I pray for your safety and continued health. I pray for your people. I pray for my people.

    Violence begets violence. We all know this as a universal truth. So the question is how to break the cycle? If the IDF ceases its Gaza operations, does anyone doubt that it would only be a matter of time before Israel were attacked? Already the Philadephi Route has become a weapons-smugging extravaganza. Not to mention the fate of the Israeli soldier whose abduction started this.

    http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1154525966410&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

    Emboldened by the Hizbullah conflict, and embittered by the ongoing operations, Hamas militants are eager for the chance to exact a price for the current operations, and a return to relevancy. However, I believe that were Hamas to handover the Israeli soldier and commit to a continued cease-fire, the Israeli siege would end that very day. Can anyone explain to me why that hasn't happened amid so much suffering? Would it represent such a humiliation to return the abducted soldier? How do we end this? -- and please, don't just respond by saying that the Israelis should just stop the onslaught. That doesn't solve the problem of the soldier, the cycle of violence, or that a disengaged Gaza has turned into a militant staging area.

    -Colin

    By Blogger Ron, at 8/29/2006 10:57 PM  

  • The saddest bit is I can't do much now, even though im tryig my best to do something, hang in there we will have our country back

    By Blogger Adham G, at 9/03/2006 5:44 PM  

  • maybe what is happening now is a direct result of decades of indiscriminate suicide bombings and kidnappings on the part of the palestinians towards israelis?

    maybe the way the usa is reacting now is a direct result of what happened after 9/11?

    do you remember the picture of all the palestinians celebrating the murders of thousands of innocent people at the world trade center on tv?

    ..I do.

    just my thoughts...

    By Blogger kaidoi, at 9/03/2006 6:04 PM  

  • I am so sad to hear you are suffering, it has been14 years since we last met, but I remember the day exactly, I came to the house out of the blue.
    You and I were both surprised to see each other, I recognized you and you
    recognized me.

    And we met and we chatted and you are there and I married an American and am
    here in South Florida. I would switch places with you, gladly, but my
    children, Alia is 6, Jena is 4 and Laila (with Down Syndrome) is 1 tomorrow.

    I am Nada Khalaf. Remember me? I saw your blog and the name and I couldn't
    believe it. I will tell my Dad, too.

    Now.....are we cousins or what?

    Besides that, did you have more kids since I came to Gaza in 1992? I
    remember your son and his amazing Scottish accent....he was so funny and so
    smart. How is your husband?

    I send e-mails to congress all the time, write for the local papers about
    the situation you are living in, actually I just sent one article about
    Lebanon in, but now you are there I can write your story, they would take
    it.

    Let me know if I can write about you? Let me know. I would love to see you,
    I promise Iw ill come and visit you as soon as I can, with my girls. I am so
    sorry you are suffering.

    Fear is mind numbing. I send you my dreams, my piece of peace, my love and
    warmth and the food from my plate. I send you my love and my hearts tears
    and all of the strength I have left in my body. What can I do? What can I do
    for you?

    I am so angry with them. My husband is a military man, he is slowly
    understanding the Israeli's. A different story to the one they are fed at
    military training. I am so sorry for this countries work supporting Israel.
    It sickens me.

    What can I do to help you??

    Love and peace, just remember me, I am thinking of you. I hope you are safe
    tonight and I hope you swim in the sea soon. I am coming to swim with you
    and walk on the beach.

    Love and kisses

    Nada....I will send pictures soon as I get my blog going..it's elyafi.blogspot.com..nothing there yet...you are in my heart...Mona and your girls.

    By Blogger Unknown, at 9/05/2006 7:24 AM  

  • my prayers and thoughts are with the palestinians people... May Allah bless them.. Amin

    By Blogger di.di, at 9/06/2006 3:29 AM  

  • Mona .. it's ten days - are you Ok? where are you? I start to worry about you ...
    BIG HUG!

    By Blogger Karin, at 9/07/2006 11:14 AM  

  • My heart goes out for you! This is so sad, yet so real... Thanks for giving us a glimpse of what's happenning over there

    By Blogger Eliwat, at 9/07/2006 10:12 PM  

  • Mona, are you ok?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9/10/2006 9:59 PM  

  • Some people have their fantasies. And I guess Colin has his. Oh well.

    The truth is:

    The soldiers would NOT HAVE MATTERED. Israel had this attack on Lebanon PLANNED FOR QUITE SOME TIME, I'D SAY A FEW YEARS.

    If Hezbollah hadn't played into Israel's hands believe me, Israel would have conjured up a reason for the massacre on Lebanon.

    Israel has committed scores of massacres in Lebanon in the past for the only reason that this is what Israel is: a vulture of a so-called "democratic" state that really just wants to suck the life out of its neighbors, the Territories and Lebanon.

    Oh, but guess what? Hezbollah really didn't provoke Israel. People keep forgetting that the country that does the provoking is Israel.

    Hezbollah does not raid foreign territory. ISRAEL DOES. Israel always has, for decades now, bless their "hearts".

    Why should any of us believe reports from Israel, a country whose secret agency motto is BY DECEPTION WE SHALL DO WAR?

    Colin, have you been to the Southern Border of Lebanon? Do you know what it consists of?

    The initial reports were that the IDF soldiers were on Lebanon's side of the border. What were they doing there?

    Colin, do you even know what you are talking about? If you've been to the southern Border of Lebanon, by all means, say so, otherwise, what you "think" you know has no credibility whatsoever.

    By Blogger Rhiannon, at 9/16/2006 6:22 AM  

  • Yeah, you go Bankokbuddy! You go!

    With a CNN enriched "brain" like the one you have we might as well bring back the KKK.

    The tape of Palestinians celebrating was a film of these people CEL-EB-RAT-ING A HOL-I-DAY.

    That the Palestinian's were celebraing 9/11 was a lie, a HUGE lie spread viciously by our good old Zionist-saturated North American Media.

    The ADC (Arab Discrimination Committee) investigated that film footage and discovered that their was absolutely NO WAY that Camera/TV/Reporters could get into Gaza that fast (a friggin's day's time for christssake!) to film such NONSENSE! Not possible! And therefore it was never so.

    It was a bald-faced lie and the Americans and you yourself ate it up like you swallow all the Zionist garbage shoved down your throats.

    The Networks yanked off the film of the Palestinians immediately.

    Believe me, if this had been true, the Zionist TV people would have played this film for a month's time and into the future instead of just the week it actually showed.

    Why? Because the ADC cried foul and threatened lawsuit, that's why.

    Did the Networks admit their sociopathic folly to the public? Hell no. Did the Networks offer an apology to Palestinians and other Arab people? No.

    But they did their damage, didn't they? Ya gotta love our Media here in North America! A lot more substance than a Jack-in-the-box, God love our clown media.

    What were the Palestinian's doing on the day of 9/11 and the days after 9/11? Getting slaughtered. Because we Arabs know that when the world looks away because of world distractions such as 9/11, this gives the Israeli government freedom to escalate their murders of people in the Territories.

    So before you bring up crap like "suicide bombers" and such,you need to learn that the ratios of murders between Israel and the Territories are HEAVILY LOPSIDED. Hundreds of Palestinian children are murdered by IDF "soldiers" and "jewish" settlers as opposed to a handful of Israeli children killed by suicide bombers.

    Also, that's just a span of a given YEAR. Most years their are no suicide bombers. However, EVERY year Palestinian children (I'm only talking children now) are murdered by the hundreds by IDF "soldiers" and "jewish" settlers.

    Now bankokbuddy, ask yourself: Why does anyone suppose their are suicide bombers IN THE FIRST PLACE?

    By Blogger Rhiannon, at 9/16/2006 6:59 AM  

  • First, as always Mona, I pray for your saftey and well-being. I can only hope that the delays in your recent updates are a simple matter of logistics or circumstances - and not because you have been harmed.

    Now on to Rhiannon and what appears to be his "reference" propoganda-pamphlet being put to good use here. Could he possibly be less helpful to the overall dialogue that takes shape on this blog? I SERIOUSLY doubt it.

    Have the Israeli's planned a Lebanon incursion for weeks....or even months? No Rhiannon, I'd guess it's been more like YEARS. A country surrounded by its enemies doesn't have the luxury of unpreparedness -- especially four wars forced upon them later. For 60 years, Israel's enemies have sought its destruction -- chief among them being Syria and its (until recently) puppet-state cousin Lebanon. Rhiannon states that the offensive in Lebanon "would have happened anyway" regardless of the abducted soldiers. Uhhh, reality check for ya pal -- it DIDN'T happen until the soldiers were taken. So you might wanna rethink your hyptheticals.

    And Rhiannon, I've been to northern-Israel many times. And I know what it's like to look across the border and feel the hate coming from Lebanon. And another thing, Nasrallah HIMSELF admitted that CROSSING INTO ISRAEL to take the soldiers was a mistake given the Israeli response. Uhh, so you better check your facts about the soldiers being abducted from within Lebanese territory which is utterly ridiculous. Where do you get these "facts" from anyway?

    I posted on Mona's blog in the hopes of creating dialog between our peoples. You're venom, Rhiannon, helps neither of us.

    -Colin

    By Blogger Ron, at 9/17/2006 9:04 AM  

  • Dr. Mona, are you there? Does anyone know what happened to Dr. Mona? Its tragic that so many innocents on all sides are caught in the war between governments and extremist groups. Mona, I would like to write a bit about your blog, but I wish I knew if you are ok. Anne - http://seriouspost.blogspot.com/

    By Blogger Anne, at 9/18/2006 1:06 AM  

  • Very powerful post.

    Good luck in your struggle.

    By Blogger Frank Partisan, at 9/23/2006 9:38 AM  

  • Does anyone know if Mona is okay?

    By Blogger Tree, at 9/25/2006 1:42 AM  

  • Mona I hope you're surviving all of the current assaults on Gaza. It's been a long time since you've posted (or updated comments) and I hope it's not due to any worse than the deprivation of electricity and time.
    Be well.

    By Blogger Amelopsis, at 9/28/2006 2:03 AM  

  • Traumatic stress reactions can be loosely divided into physical and emotional, short term and long term. Many people initially feel shock and disbelief, even denial. Also common are anger, fear, anxiety, sadness, hopelessness, compassion, helplessness, and survivor’s guilt. http://www.xanax-effects.com/

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11/11/2008 11:33 AM  

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