[photo: Emad Badwan]
This is why I’m doing the Gaza speaking tour now in the States:
Israeli forces shoot man near Gaza border
Crowds bury ‘mentally ill’ Gaza woman shot dead by Israeli forces
shared from Eileen Carr and “I am From Gaza“:
A friend sent me two messages in the last two days. He said that he is ok and that he does not like to complain but that he and his family are suffering more and more everyday.
“I am tired. I am very much tired. Now nobody talks about Gaza. No news channels. Again the same thing is happening. We have no work….not much money….not much work….we go to study. We study good but for what reason I wonder and I ask to myself….we really have no hope in our hearts. I see my Father when he thinks my mother is not watching to him. I see he is sad and very old. More old than is his age. And so I worry and I cry in secret because I cannot help because even if I have good degree … no work. and so I cannot help and am only like a child and burden to my family. Not like a man at all. Two days now we think the crossing is open. But only few pass….all the rest come home again. Not much power…not much fuel…not much medicine and not much hope in out hearts. If anyone in Gaza tell you they do not depression do not believe to them. Maybe they hide this from their own hearts. But I know. I really know. We are all depression here. But hamdulillah for everything”
—we all owe it to the people of Gaza to increase awareness of this illegal occupation and breaking of international laws and end this inhumane occupation. –Eileen
and:
we are suffering in ways that you can never imagine. In the last week my grandmother was very ill and we wanted her to go to the hospital but there was never any electricity at a good time and she is not able to walk down the stairs where she lives with us in our apartment on the 5th floor…..and she would not go in an ambulance because she said that she was not so sick that she would let the men carry her all that way in a wheelchair. She is a person never to make a problem for anyone. But she is suffering. Sometimes there is no water in our apartment because we are so high up. And really since my father has lost his work in the bakery we do not have a lot of money for food and she tries not to eat a lot. We are all in a mess and we are all trying to put each others needs in the first place. Sometimes I cannot sleep with the worry of what will happen to us all. The world has forgotten about us except for those with kind hearts but as it is always the same way the people with kind hearts have no power and the people with power do not have kind hearts. The electricity is a bit better in the last two days but Iam tired of having to be grateful for these such small things because even if it is better it is not enough. I have not had a shower for so long and I feel ashamed for this. But I try to be clean and especially when I pray. I pray to Allah for a solution. alhamdulillah for everything because we are at least alive. Thank you for your listening….”
–shared by Eileen Carr
*****
Two friends sent me their thoughts and feelings today from Gaza:
“Please tell people that we are sad…very sad. Tell them this because it is so important that the world knows that we are people with feelings in the same way as you. Imagine today I saw a small child fall sinking under the water and I did not think he would come back up again. The old man with him fell as he tried to pick up the boy and hold to his walk stick. I think to myself then, in this moment, that people think we are just numbers…they do not think we have the same feelings like they have for the old people and children. Tell them this. Tell them in a strong way and say to them that we need the world to stand with us as we fight to stay alive”.
“I do not know if I can manage to be strong for much more time. Now everyone in my family who thought I was strong sees that Ia m weak too. They see me cry and without a smile on my face. I pray that tomorrow I will be able to be brave and support all my family again”.
Read and share these very painful thoughts and feelings. Read, share and sign the petitions, contact news agencies and do whatever it is that you yourself think of to increase awareness and provoke change.
–I am from Gaza
[photo: Emad Badwan]Filed under: international solidarity, manufactured poverty Gaza, siege on Gaza
