Dr. Eyad el-Sarraj

Life and Death under the F16s

Gaza, December 31, 2008

I was talking to my wife about what to have for lunch. She said we could not have lentil soup because there is no lentil in the shops as many other commodities are lacking including rice and flour.

Suddenly we were struck by a deafening noise of what sounded like a huge explosion. That was followed by a succession of blasts which I have never experienced in my life. Our house was shaking and windows were rattling.

Panic struck and we ran into the small hallway in the house and we were joined by my sister in law who lives upstairs. She was pale and shaking as she said that her daughter was not home yet from school. A boy from the neighborhood banged our door asking for shelter. He was trembling as he described how he was in his way home from school in a taxi when they heard a thundering blast. The taxi driver stopped the car and ran for cover. The passengers were running in all directions.

Sari, our boy, found himself running with no aim as explosions seemed like chasing him. He suddenly found people lying and bleeding. He came closer to a lying man with a strong urge to help. He touched the hand of the wounded man but was horrified to discover that it was a piece of burnt flesh. Somebody shouted at him to leave the place and run, which he did.

The news came over the phone and from the interrupted TV coverage. Over two hundred people were killed and more were wounded in less than ten minutes. The numbers were climbing and the funerals were filling the TV screen.

The bombing did not stop. Apparently one hundred F16s have hit over three hundred targets in one mission. The pilots must have reported back to their commanders that mission was accomplished. But they never reported the pain and suffering of the innocent people and the fear their fighters have spread in the heart of our children.

Noor, my step daughter was silent all the time and suddenly she burst in crying and then laughing hysterically. She is a bright girl with artistic talents and eagerness to write poetry.

On Monday 29 Salam phoned me to ask for advice as his three children have wetted their beds the night before.

On Tuesday30 Fawaz was declared dead on the People radio as the rubble of the ministry building has covered completely his small villa. It was a friend who listened to the radio and alerted the civil defense to search for Fawaz in the underground basement of his house. They did and Fawaz was rescued with his wife, children and his old mother.

This carnage goes on while there is an ongoing humanitarian crisis due to the Israeli siege of Gaza: a lack of medicines, bread, flour, gas, electricity, fuel and almost everything else. Gaza was literally turned by the Israeli siege into a big prison. I was interrupted several times while trying to complete this short note by the sound of explosions around me. Gaza is like a ghost town tonight. Its streets are deserted and people don't dare out of their homes.

The children are worse to suffer as they perceive the fear in the eyes of their mothers. The father who could not provide them with food is now shattered as a symbol of security because he is unable to protect them. The chance is big that these children will join Hamas as they look for a replacement of the father figure, someone to provide and protect. So, Israeli actions will only strengthen Hamas.