Oxfam’s Mohammed Ali continues to report from his home in Gaza City during the Israeli military offensive.
Today, I met with people outside of Shifa Hospital, Gaza City. I could not believe the stories I was hearing. An old man told me he was going blind. His diabetic condition was deteriorating and he needed to be treated quickly so not to lose his sight. He was turned away; he was not in a severe enough state compared to the people filling the hospital corridors and there were not enough doctors to see to him.
Medical teams cannot cope; doctors are working 24 hour shifts, there are not enough beds, equipment or medicine to deal with this humanitarian crisis.
I am hearing more and more stories of people trapped under rubble - ambulance teams unable to reach them, so they wait, to die. While I was out, one man approached me and asked whether or not I would help him to clear up dead bodies, another asked if I worked for a humanitarian organisation, before waiting for my answer, he shouted out while looking up to the sky, ” Where is humanity?”
The situation has now reached such a critical point that doctors frequently confront dilemmas such as these - to treat the child who is bleeding to death or the baby who has severe head injuries? While doctors ask themselves these tough questions, some politicians continue to debate whether or not we are facing a humanitarian crisis.
Since the Israeli military attacks started on Gaza, no salaries have been received and hardly any one has been able to work. Many people here depend on agricultural farming to make a living, and the Gazan population relies on these farmers to be able to eat vegetables; the blockade is allowing hardly anything in. No farmer will go to their farmlands these days, like all of us, they fear being killed if they move out of their homes or even if they stay put.
Prices of goods are increasing by the day as they become more and more scarce. Candles are no longer available; a much-needed item these days given the prolonged power cuts we have to endure. So we started to use our torches but the batteries soon ran out and there are no batteries to be found here any more.
Every hour, fleeting images from around the world are brought to our TV screens. When I have electricity, I watch these scenes of people enjoying themselves and ask myself, what is the difference between them and me? Why are our lives worlds apart in spite of living on the same planet?
I wonder, are these same people asking themselves the same question when they watch the horror unfold in Gaza?
The occupation has put Gaza on a drip feed; we have had just enough to keep us alive but not enough to make us feel as though we are really living… now this. If I make it to the end of this conflict, I want to leave the minute I am able to. I do not want my children to grow up in this environment, strangled by the occupation, familiar with the sounds of F16 fighter jets, unable to leave the country if they need life-saving treatment.
This is not a natural disaster like the Tsunami; this is a man made disaster that deepens while the world watches.
As the death toll continues to rise, my wife and I spend our waking hours waiting for our turn to come. Now, at night before trying to get to sleep I say to her, ” goodnight my love, see you in heaven.”
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Tags: Conflict, gaza, gazablog, israel, occupiedpalestinianterritories
I am one of the people around the world watching events unfold in Gaza and wondering why, why are these people suffering so horribly while we continue to live our lives, go to work, cook our dinner, chat with friends?
January 12th, 2009 at 1:08 pmNow we’re donating money and I hope that it reaches the people in Gaza.
I can’t imagine the horror and I think you are courageous and your words are so powerful. For my family, you make sure that we don’t forget, that we don’t turn a blind eye.
When we watch the news there is such vague information, they inform us that no international journalists are allowed in to report, so all we see is smoke rising above the buildings and we can hear ambulance sirens blaring over and over again.
Thank you for your reports - now we see the smoke, hear the sirens and listen to your words.
What I fail to understand is why there is not a push from other countries to put an end to the fighting. I know that some talks have taken place but it seems like the west is sitting on the side lines waiting for someone else to make the first move. If we continue to do this what is going to become of the people of Gaza? Things are at such a critical state already that there isn’t time to wait for something to happen. Are we just going to sit by and watch the city being torn apart until the other side runs out of steam? When is something actually going to be done? What price are we putting on the heads of innocent men, women and children?
January 12th, 2009 at 2:45 pmCall me cynical, but I don’t think Western governments will do anything unless it follows the USA - and the USA will hold off for as long as poss to give Israel time to finish off, just like in Lebanon. Only this time there’s the added pressure to get it all wrapped up in a nice neat ceasefire before Obama takes over.
But the more WE protest by letter, by email, by marching, the more pressure gets put on the USA to call Israel to heel. Governments will be getting worried by the protests, the vigils, the emails and letters. They can put pressure on the USA. Israel will continue to ignore the UN but can’t afford to anger the USA.
We can do two things to help brave people like Mohammed Ali - give money to Oxfam to spend on the Palestinian civilians as soon as they can get in there and write emails, write letters and peaceably protesr every way we can.
January 12th, 2009 at 9:55 pmDear Mohammed,
Your texts are really touching.
I wonder how you have strength to write them with all these horrible things going on around you.
Do you have a place where you feel safer?
I wish you all the best.
January 13th, 2009 at 3:15 amBetina, Brazilian journalist
[...] Ali, who works for the NGO Oxfam, writes on the Oxfam blog: The situation has now reached such a critical point that doctors frequently confront dilemmas such [...]
January 13th, 2009 at 9:16 pmDear Mohammed,
I wish you and your family safety insha’Allah. My husband and I pray for peace and Palestinians everynight before we sleep. I live in the United States and I take everything for granted. From the food that i eat to running water. There is not a time that I do not think of Palestinians when important essentials in life are available for me. Please stay strong.
I wish you all the very best of health and safety,
Your friend,
January 16th, 2009 at 8:50 amAmira
These word written from the warmth and comfort of an English sofa, none the less come from a heart breaking by horror and endless futility of this conflict, and filled with love and sadness for humankind, espacially the people of Gaza. Today BBC is facing growing criticism for not carrying an appeal for Gaza. This lead me to look further into things and here I now am. Writing this. My hope is that the Israeli media have overplayed their hand and this situation will grown in the worlds consciousness, and all the cleverness of Israeli hawks and media manipulation will backfire.
January 24th, 2009 at 2:59 pmI think the BBC cannot refuse for long and when the appeal is aired its impact will be 1000 more powerful. People will asked “Who caused this?” , and “How can I help ?” And then question why it was not broadcast immediately.
I am in awe of of the resilience and courage of the people in Gaza, and urge them not to lose hope. You are not alone, and even from my snug sofa thousands of miles away your blood flows in my veins, and your pain touches me.And I don’t forget you, as many many other dont forget you..