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Gazans Live Back in the Middle Ages Due to the Israeli Siege

By Sameh Akram Habeeb

ccun.org, August 27, 2008



The suffering and the torture could be a reason for a nation's collapse or fall down. However, it could be a way to achieve victory. I always gather my ideas to penetrate this suffering to tell the story of my people through my words.

I having nothing but a strong will to write and tell the untold story of my people in the besieged Gaza strip. I truly became addicted to reporting daily sufferings encountered by 1.5 million besieged in Gaza, the New Biggest Concentration Camp!

I was so happy regarding a truce held in Gaza between the Israelis and some Palestinians. I reckoned as many Gazans it could be a way out of the Israeli siege protracted for more than a year. Yet, I'm  disappointed as Israelis violate what they have promised to do. Now, the truce is going perfectly on our side. So, our reward should have been lifting the siege imposed on us by Israel. But, unfortunately, the siege is tougher now. Israel fools the world by saying it has lifted the siege. Previously and in time of calm, we have had around 400 vans of various goods daily. But as for now, we are having less than 90 per day restricted to some goods.

The Israeli occupation government determines what goods and commodities we should have in Gaza. Therefore, if we need a new commodity we should exchange it by another one! At the end of the day, we will have nothing except what Israel wants.

I visited the southern areas of Gaza strip and in there I discovered that Gazans are back 100 years ago. They started to use fire in cooking due to the severe shortage of Gas. I saw many people near some gas stations waiting in a row to get a bottle of Gas. Some awaited for hours, days and even months! This is a fact! The reason behinds this crisis is that people are using gas for cars since Israel is still declining most of fuel deliveries to Gaza.

"Gaza is largely dependent on Israel for its supplies of fuel and electricity. Already there are frequent power outages as a result of Israel's destruction of the main Gaza power plant in 2006 and subsequent damage to electricity transformers. (For instance on 14 November the IDF struck an electricity transformer in Beit Hanoun which knocked out power for 5,000 people in the area.) The supply of water is also affected and there is insufficient power for water pumps. As a result, 210,000 people are able to access drinking water supplies for only 1-2 hours a day. Sewage is also a problem: sewage plants require repairs but materials, such as metal pipes and welding machines, have been prohibited by Israel on the grounds that they may be used for making rockets. At present there is a real danger that sewage plants could overflow. Cutting off fuel and electricity will exacerbate an already dangerous situation. It will endanger the functioning of hospitals, water services and sewage, as well as depriving residents of electricity for refrigerators and household appliances. A humanitarian catastrophe is contemplated if Israel continues to reduce fuel and carries out its threat to reduce electricity supplies." UN General Assembly, 21 January 2008.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A crowd of Palestinians seek to obtain gas jars near closed petrol station mid of Gaza Strip.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A Palestinian smiles after hardly he got a gas jar in ht middle areas of Gaza Strip.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Two men travelling on their bikes in a journey of Gas Discovery in the Gaza Strip.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A victorious man raises his hands in a sign of victory after his brother was able to get a gas jar, Gaza City.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tea Kettle prepared by an old fashion way! Palestinians are back to the middle ages due to the Israeli measures of collective punishment.



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Two Palestinians prepare an old kind of bread by fire.


This is an untold story out of tens we have in Gaza!
A story of innocent civilians living under a severe Israeli collective punishment!


--
Sameh A. Habeeb
Freelance Journalist based in the Gaza, Palestine
Mob: 00972599306096
Tel: 0097282802825
E-mail: Sam_hab@hotmail.com
Sameh.habeeb@gmail.com
Web: www.gazatoday.blogspot.com

--

 

 

 

 

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