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Our house was shaken by six airstrikes
Written by: Jawad Harb
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While the Gaza strip is currently facing some of the toughest challenges in the Palestinian territories, I'm writing my own very personal story. But it is also the story of 1.6 million Palestinians living in Gaza. The 28th of December, 2008, was a day to remember. It was 4:30 p.m. I was sitting with my six kids at my house which is 500 metres from the Egyptian border. The darkness was surrounding us like a monster, a few candles lit our path to the kitchen and bathroom. It was a moonless night full of unpredictable, unknown fear. I was telling my kids stories to distract them when suddenly it was like an earthquake - six consecutive airstrikes shook the house up and down. The house was like a piece of paper swinging in the air. The kids were screaming, running in all directions, seeking to escape the chaos of the airstrikes. It was uncontrollable panic everywhere. What made the situation more complicated was the screaming of kids all over the quarter. It was the only thing you could hear after the airstrikes. All the children in the neighbourhood ran downstairs to the main road, crying and screaming in such a way I have never witnessed in my whole life. The street was full of parents trying to find their kids and bring them back home. Among this chaos, I only just managed to gather my own children and get them back home. We sat again in darkness and I started talking to them again in an effort to calm them down. Yazan, my 12-year-old son, suddenly asked: "Dad, are we ever going to live in peace again? I like to climb, I like to swing like a monkey ... and I like to fly like a bird, why can't we play like those children we watch in kids' TV programs every day?" A burning teardrop rolled down my face, and all of a sudden, I was not able to say a word. "Isn't it Christmas holiday now dad? Are we not supposed to have a party and eat some cake?" he added. As I was trying to answer him, another airstrike shook the house, and this time all of my kids snuggled into me like small birds. My body was grabbed by small hands everywhere, and I wished at that moment I had ten hands to hug them all, because this was exactly what they needed. "This is temporary," I said to them, with pain. "Dad, yes, it is temporary forever," my 16-year-old daughter replied.
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6 responses to “Our house was shaken by six airstrikes ”
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02 Jan 2009 13:02:29 GMT
Dear Mr. Harb,
I hope that you and your family will stay safe, as I wish for all Gazans. It is madness; civilians suffer the most in these crossfires. I often wonder if the leaders that initiate these lethal contests would be so quick to order death and destruction if they could hear the children screaming simultaneously. Alas, maybe they have not reached the level of integrity whereby one perceives another's child as their own, equally deserving of protection. As adults, I believe we have the moral imperative, the duty to protect any child, all children. I think that anyone who makes a child scream anywhere, anytime, is a terrorist. A child screaming is a child filled with terror. It is that simple. I abhor all leaders of the nations on earth who do not stand up, vehemently denounce this by banging their shoes on their U.N. desks and yelling at the top of their lungs - "STOP this madness, the most vulnerable and precious of humankind are being harmed". But maybe they are in their comfort zones, Mr.Harb, with their heads in the sand and backsides in the air insulated from the sounds of children. Please know that I am concerned for you, your family and fellow citizens and will continue to hope for the best. I hope you will write again. brenda02 Jan 2009 18:15:43 GMT
I cry for your children, and pity you, as parents, caught in the middle of people who use terror as a means to an end (Hamas) and Israel, who react to terror tactics the only way they can. You described the terror your children went through, and if you went to Israel, you would see the same pain and terror in their children.
How can you stop Hamas from shooting rockets at Israel from school rooftops and hospitals? They are supreme cowards and your children are reaping the 'rewards' of their cowardice. If they want to go to war with Israel, why do you let them use your our children as cover? Insist they be men and go out to a battlefield in the desert somewhere and end it one way or the other - and please, leave ALL the children out of their cowardly ways.04 Jan 2009 11:12:01 GMT
May Allah be with the people of Gaza and all of Palestine. I can not fathom the pain you are going through. I hope the Israeli army will end their murderous campaign soon, before more people are hurt. Children are so helpless and look up to their elders for help in times of crisis. Please be strong and God willing this will end. I pray for peace in the homeland of my ancestors and my parents, but peace seems so far away now. Please let me know, what organization helps the most so that I may donate to them. I want to help the innocent people of Gaza in the only way I can. I just want to make sure that I donate to an organization that's actually making a difference. May Allah be with you and all oppressed people everywhere in the world. Take care.
05 Jan 2009 02:33:29 GMT
Wayne have you been to the Palestinian Occupied Territories? Have Israelis been living under a siege for 18 months as in Gaza, or under occupation for 40 years as in the whole of the OPT? Has their economy been deliberately crushed by an Occupying Power? Do they have no freedom of movement, have they had 18,000 of their houses demolished, their land confiscated by settlers, their olive trees uprooted? Are they living in what amounts to an mega-prison? Does an Occupying power steal their water, control their electricity, their telecommunications, their access to food, to trade? All of this is against international law, because Israel is occupying Palestine, it is not the Palestinians who are occupying Israel. Take a look at any respectable Human Rights agency in the world and see where Israel stands in relation to International Law and basic Human Rights. Geneva Conventions were drawn up in the wake of Jewish experience under the Na! zis, in order to protect civilian populations. The conventions exist for a reason - ignore them and descend into barbarity. This is what we are witnessing. The 500 Palestinians and 4 Israeli's killed - these are barbaric murders, but the barbaric occupation and imprisonment of 1.6 million Gazans occurred before any of this.
09 Jan 2009 14:16:35 GMT
Attn:
With all due respects to our Sunni/Salafi/Wahabie Brosthers & Sisters Is not that Shias of Hussein doing since 1369 years of Post karbala Tragedy. Gaza's 3 dimensional (air, ground, naval assault) invasion, pictures, events coming out of locked strip on this part of globe is enough to accept the reality of spirit of Moharram. To Stand against the tyrants, not to surrender at any cost despite being sealed off, cordoned off from aerial, sea, land routes. To riase the voice in whatever the circumstances. I am looking the entire Muslim Ummah from Indonesia to Mauritania is going to follow spirit of Shia Islam while they are on the streets and protesting against the USraelie hegemony.15 Jan 2009 16:08:27 GMT
nr.5: Seems the rest of the muslim world remembers the palestinians when they need to justify their hate toward Israel and/or the Jews. What about thinking about the Palestinians before Israel attacks Hamas? What about pressing YOUR tyrant leaders to invest in Gaza... the Palestinians? A sort of stimulus package()with oversight to avoid corruption) - so that they instead of relying-being dependent on the rest of the world for hand outs, can start to build their own infrastructure, schools etc - this would also get people into work.
Water, electricity, food, jobs (in Israel), trade, Hospital care, telecommunications, internet all this is provided to the Palestinians by the Israelis. Instead of talking your jihad protest nonsense you should actually do something positive, contribute something of value to the Palestinians? It's easy for you to protest and be pro Hamas when it's the Israelis and Palestinians that die.