Ed. Note: The following letter was written in late June, when Gaza was under serious attack. With the advent of the Lebanon crisis the Gaza tragedy disappeared from the headlines, but in fact the situation there today is worse and rapidly deteriorating. The letter was written by the brother of WAMM supporter Noha Ismail, a Palestinian-American and former Twin Cities librarian. Nabeel’s wife Raja Shaath is the director of “Give Gaza,” a humanitarian relief effort in the region.
Dear Friends,
The situation here remains very tense and dangerous. In the North, where we live, and in the South at Rafah, 24-hour shelling and aerial mock raids splitting our ears with sonic booms continue unabated. There are nightly raids in specific places, and aerial assassinations using Apache helicopter gunships. The total invasion has not happened yet. Gaza is under total siege. I mean nothing comes in or goes out. The Israelis destroyed our power station, supplying half of our electricity. The other half which Israel supplies and charges us for has not been affected. Our generated electricity went to public needs mostly, i.e. water pumping stations, sewage stations, and street lighting, plus homes in Gaza city. As a result, darkness, no drinking water or any water for that matter. It will be made available for four hours a day. Sewage is a disaster.
After the arrest of Hamas ministers and parliamentarians in the West Bank, the Gaza ministers went underground. There is no government. With the continued draconian sanctions and siege, banks are totally out of function. You cannot even transfer money from Gaza to a relative in the West Bank. Despite all of this, the people here are defiant, and in reasonably good spirits. My five years old daughter Samiha bursts out laughing when a big sonic boom or a bomb explodes. If I don’t do the same, she reminds me of our agreement on the matter. To survive we need to laugh. This morning, Norway’s leading newspaper has her on the front page.
Of course, the Palestinians want to return to the peace process. 65% of those polled indicate this commitment. They want to exchange the Israeli soldier, with Palestinian civilian women and children in Israeli jails, if possible. But, nobody knows where the Israeli soldier is. We hear he is well and safe. Abumazen and Ismail Haniyyeh have no clue about his whereabouts. I know both are trying to arrange for his release. But, people complain about the double standards. 10,000 civilian Palestinians have been kidnapped by Israel. Few in this world seem to care. Two weeks ago, a whole family was wiped out 25 meters from my home, on the beach facing us. My little Samiha was there. I was in Riyadh. My wife called. She said Samiha came back from the beach speechless. She would not utter a word. She wanted to talk to me. Samiha talked on the phone saying she was cross with me because I was not there at the beach to protect her. Other children had their fathers with them she said. Fortunately she did not see the dead and wounded, but she was caught in the panic that ensued with our maid. In few minutes of calming and soothing, she forgot about the matter, and started telling me about the pigeon that had nestled at her closed window shutters, and laid eggs that had hatched, leaving a family of baby pigeons. Her voice was sparkling again with life, hope and happiness.
The children of Gaza are my present concern, and that of Raja my wife. Her efforts toward “Give Gaza,” Darelfata books, 22 children’s libraries, public reading campaigns, orphan sponsorship program, and other relief programs addressed primarily to the children of Gaza take priority. That is the essence of the letter I am reattaching this time to you. We remain sound and safe.
We send you our love and very best wishes.
—Nabeel and Raja Shaath |
