10 December 2019
Last month 34 Palestinians were killed, including eight children, and at least 111 injured during a violent military escalation in Gaza. A member of Medical Aid for Palestinians’ (MAP’s) staff describes their feelings during the attacks:
The attack on Gaza came without warning. Suddenly you find yourself inside a savage attack, and start a journey of suffering. No one knows how long it will last. A week? A month? Or more? This decision is out of our control.
During the attack, our hearts are attached to the sky, as we do not know where or when the next strike will be. Missiles do not differentiate between children, women or the elderly. Missiles have no heart, they bomb mercilessly.
When the attack begins, I rush to the kitchen to check our stock of canned food. It will be for our children during the attack, if we find any!
I hurry to open the windows of my house, even though we are in the middle of winter. The missiles can throw glass from the closed windows into the hearts of those inside.
I collect our important papers and clothes in a bag, although I do not know where we would escape to. Bombardment is everywhere, there is no safe place.
I try to find the safest place inside for us to stay together.
During this time we get older. Our hearts are broken, and fears defeat us.
I watch the news, listen to the sounds of the bombardment with sadness, as no one knows who will rise to heaven next.
Our children grow older, lose their childhood and their beautiful dreams.
Bomb after bomb: Death, pain, sadness, destruction and oppression.
Every day, I call my sister, brother and friends. Are you OK? I send messages to relieve my heart's pain.
Every morning, I send a message to my emigrant brothers and sisters: “We are still fine”.
Messages between colleagues are ongoing, we are still alive. Many messages here and there just to reassure my heart.
I wait with horror, and my body is shaking with every new bomb.
I follow the news to know who was targeted by the bombardment, and cry for people that I did not know. Sometimes our hearts are broken for our loved ones.
I live terror and panic. Then suddenly they declare the ceasefire.
What a ceasefire. There are hearts with severe pain, mothers who lost their children and their husbands, children who lost their parents. The attack means loss, sadness and pain.
After the truce began, I started to cry, cry, cry, and cry for all the people in Gaza. We are human beings and what happened to us is not fair at all.
Where is justice?
May justice be in heaven!
