Third Day of Israeli Attack on Gaza : Random Thoughts of a Civilian
By Ziad Bakri - July 10, 2014
“There is NO WAR” , I told my
students who sent me facebook messages in the middle of the night, they were
horrified because of the bombs yet asking about the classes of the next day. It
used to be a surprise to me, but after living all these years in Gaza and
becoming a part of it, I got it, when you live in Gaza, you get bombed, your
house gets destroyed, someone dies in your family and you STAND UP, go to your
work and complete your day normally, because a Palestinian does NOT have the
luxury of grieving !!
“It is just a normal situation as
usual. We will get bombed at night and tomorrow we will come and take our
classes , do not even try to ask me to postpone tomorrow’s exam. “
I woke up a couple of hours later to
find out that an escalation against Gaza was announced !!! Many people saw it
coming, yet I believe I was living in denial. I just cannot handle another war…
*********
It is very weird how accustomed we
got to the idea of wars on Gaza. The moment the news were sure, Gaza is under
attack, we needed no time to think, we immediately went to the pharmacy to get
my mother’s medicine, the supermarket to get the basic things we needed and we
collected our formal documents in case we had to leave the place immediately.
Flashbacks keep coming back from the
wars of 2008 and 2012, how clueless we were, how terrified. Don’t get me wrong,
we are still terrified but for different reasons this time. Back then we were
afraid because of the unknown, yet now we are terrified because we know exactly
what might be waiting for us.
**********
Over 85 people Palestinians were killed and over 500 were injured... Most of them are children and women !!!
*********
Random quotes from friends through
social media:
“This is just too much. I don’t think
my unborn child or I can handle this anymore.”
“one of the difficult moments here in
the hospital when a four year old injured boy asks you while crying about his
father who has just martyred and you simply have to lie to him and ask him not
to worry because his father is fine.”
“Our house just swayed with the
nearby shelling” ( I just love the use of the verb ‘sway’, it reminded me of the
song’ SWAY’. Now every time a nearby place gets bombed and our building starts
shaking, I remember this status and smile.)
*******
I am not able to look at the photos
of the children’s dead bodies. They say it is necessary for documentation, I
say it is too brutal and my weak heart cannot handle them. I am terrified that one of the kids I have
taught over the years might be one of them, this would kill me!
***************
For muslims, Ramadan is a great month
where they try to do as many good deeds as they can, it is the month of love,
cooperation, getting close to god and fasting to understand the suffering of the poor people. Imagine after fasting for almost 16
hours, breaking your fast while being bombed!
We believe that God answers the
prayers we say before Iftar, many people ask for success, money, personal things, but these days, what most people are asking for is to be safe, just safe. Amen
***********
I remember many times talking to my
friends and telling them :”These are supposed to be the BEST years of our lives,
the years of love, experiencing, making mistakes, doing crazy things… and look
at us, just living a routine live where our biggest dream is whether we can get
out of Gaza, whether we are going to have electricity for 6 or 8 hours a day,
whether the coming day will be a war or not. This is so sad and frustrating.
**********
Doctors, journalists and humanitarian
workers… you are heroes <3
*********
Gaza is under attack, civilians are
being killed every minute, living in danger, not knowing where we are heading
to, not sure if tomorrow we will be alive or dead…. And still, I keep thinking
of you. Oh Gosh!! How much I hate loving you …
**********
We survived two wars.. I believe we
will survive this one.. I believe that tomorrow is a better day…
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