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29 October

After death, a Palestinian woman lamenting the murder of her son

Funerals of Palestinians killed the first day of Eid in the north of Gaza

G aza children looking at the damage in gaza city caused by an Israeli helicapter

P alestinian children gathering around a car burned in Burij camp, in the middle of Gaza Strip

The funeral of a Palestinian man

Palestinian children in Gaza celeberating Eid despite attacks, incursions and sorrow

All Arab and Islamic nations are celebrating Eid Al Adha (feast after the Holy Ramadan month of fasting) – all except in Palestine . Here, the Palestinian children expect to receive the first day of Eid with joy, happiness, fun and gifts from adults, but sadly, instead, this Eid began with an Israeli attackin the north of Gaza killing 9 Palestinians.

It was almost as if the Israeli soldiers planned to give the Palestinians hell for their holiday. The Israeli occupation forces succeeded in making making the first day of Eid a rotten day, turning happiness into funerals and filling the air with the sounds of bombs and ambulance sirens instead of the sounds of happy children and prayer from mosques.

9 Palestinians were killed in the first hour of the first day of Eid. But the steadfast Palestinians pushed past the grief to try to celebrate this ancient tradition anyway. They have suffered so much abuse and misery at the hands of the Israelis for such a long time.

On another note, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has said bread is more important than democracy, and he may be preparing to try to dissolve the Hamas-led Palestinian parliament. Does a leader have a right to bypass democratic institutions to ensure his people are fed and secure?

The internal fighting is still going on with roadblocks and strikes of Palestinian Authority workers who have not received their salaries for 8 months. "What do they (the new government) expect from us? We can’t wait any longer. Eight months of no salaries and no money coming in, how am I going to feed my 5 children? Can I give them air to eat or should I tell them to eat themselves,” said one of the striking policemen in a very angry voice.

"It's enough, we have had enough democracy food from America , now we can't live anymore, life is tough and we need money to keep going" he added without giving his name, but a man in the late 30s.

Life has became very difficult, when your child comes to you over and over asking you for milk or basic food and all you can say is “tomorrow.” This has been going on for more than eight months. Life is getting worse by the day. People here are suffering, while the US is supporting the Israeli Occupation Forces war against the democratically elected Palestinian government and its people. How long must this last? This is a question the “civilized” world must answer! Without their united voice of protest, the United States and Israel will be about “business as usual.”

13 October

A mbulances taking injured civilans

B aby child being injured by the Israeli strike on civilans houses

Carrying her baby into a hospital

A child injured by Israeli F16s on Shejaia area in Gaza together with 25 children

The hopsital in Gaza was full of children and women injured by the Israeli strike

One of the children injured by the Israeli strike

This morning in Gaza:

A new morning in Gaza with the sunshine appearing again, but today was not as peaceful as yesterday. Today, the Israeli Occupation Forces bombed and attacked everywhere night and day! The day was filled with closure of borders, demolishing houses and bombing houses with people sleeping inside, blocking roads, sonic bombs, raids etc. What adds to this plight is the international blockade imposed by the USA , EU and International Community. The blockade came after the Hamas won the Palestinian electionlast January. Many Palestinians thought that Condoleezza Rice's visit will make life easier, but things actually got worse even as the Palestinians have been waiting for the mercy of the world!

Israeli raids on the southern part of the Gaza Strip early on Thursday morning killed five Palestinians from one family and injured at least another ten. Among the five who were killed is a 13 year old boy.

Amid heavy shooting, Israeli forces penetrated the neighborhood of Al Faraheen in Khan Younis very early on Thursday. Israeli military helicopters and drones flew overhead and started bombing the area very heavily with missiles targeting people's houses while they were still asleep inside.

Anwar and her brother Kamel were asleep, but they woke up in fear and horror while the helicopters bombed the area. Kamel who is not yet 14, is no longer able to comfort his sister, Anwar, 9 years old, as she screams every time she hears the US-made helicopters the neighborhood. "I don't want to die, I'm afraid" are the only words the child was able to say while she was in her home under siege.

One wonders what those children done or what crimes they have committed that they should be so cruelly treated. Is it a crime to come into this world from the womb of a Palestinian woman born on the land of Palestine? Is this reason enough to treat these children so inhumanely? Where are the international human and children rights groups? Why isn’t there an international outrage? Could it be that the Western media is heavily owned and controlled by Israel's friends and those who gain from promoting Zionism? As long as the international community and media does not insist Israel cease and desist from this barbaric behavior, the Israeli Army will continue to make Gaza and the West bank “Killing Fields” where Palestinian children can be used as moving targets for Israeli soldiers. After all, according to some Jewish Israeli Rabbis “One million Arabs are not worth a Jewish fingernail.” (New York Daily News, Feb. 28, 1994, p.6) Is there any hope that the International community will stand up against the genocide policy Israeli Jews have towards Palestinian men, women and children? Has the Jewish power in international politics completely silenced the voice of compassion among the nations? I am so deeply grieved and frustrated. If it wasn’t so painful, I wish the rest of the world got a taste of what we, Palestinians, experience on a daily basis at the hands of Israelis invaders of our land and our rights as human beings.

Palestinian security sources reported that Israeli helicopters fired a rocket at a group of Palestinians in the area. It was also reported that Israeli Special Forces wearing civil clothes entered the area and clashed with some Palestinian citizens.

Five Palestinians were killed in this raid and more than ten others were injured. Medical sources in Nasser Hospital said that the killed Palestinians were from one family, adding that two of them were members of the Al Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. The sources added that two of the wounded are in a serious condition. Among the five who were killed was bystanders 13-year-old Suheib Qudeh and his 40-year-old father Adel. Both were killed while they were inside their home!

A Palestinian civilian, Mohammad Barakah, 23, was also injured in the neck when an Israeli helicopter fired a rocket into the area of Al Faraheen. His condition is said to be moderate.

A UN special envoy for human rights, John Dugard, has accused Israel of unleashing "collective punishment" in the territory, declaring last month that some 260 Palestinians had been killed and 800 injured in the operation.

Even agricultural farms!

Sources also added that Israeli bulldozers started bulldozing farms and lands in the area. Soldiers broke into many houses and searched them invasively. Agricultural farms are considered to be the only source for Palestinian farmers. Because of Israeli army action, the Palestinian is unable to work his land. The Israeli Army, tears down the ancient olive trees, demolishes green houses, destroys agricultural tools, prevents farmers from entering their field by shooting at them, etc. This certainly makes it appear that Israel is intent on transferring all Palestinians out of Palestine – kicking out or killing the Palestinians who have worked for many generations. The same is happening with Palestinian people every single day not only in Khan younies, Rafah or Gaza , but also all over the West Bank !

An Israeli warplane early Thursday flattened a Palestinian house in Jabalya refugee camp north of the Gaza Strip only 24 hours after leveling the home of a Palestinian MP in Gaza city. Israeli F-16 fighter-bomber dropped two missiles at the home of Abu Hassan Salah.

Two hours ago, a new massacre targeted children and women in their houses at Al Shejaia neighborhood in Gaza City, where many people were killed as the number is increasing while another 25 children were injured in the attack by Israeli F16s. The hospital is full of children casualties, many whom are seriously injured.

4 October

Chaos on Palestinian streets

Gunmen on Gaza street

P alestinian civilans asking for help as a civilan lies injured during the clashes

Hani Ibrahim Al Najjar, 27 years old was not on a picnic on the beach. He was a fisherman simply seeking to bring back some food to his family. Unfortunately, the sunset went westward that day and never returned. Hani was killed by an Israeli bullet fired from an Israeli naval vessel which is patrolling the beaches of Gaza Strip.

Al Najjar is not the first case; the Israeli naval vessels are constantly targeting fishermen who are simply fishing inside their homeland! "Al Najjar was hit in the head by a bullet after Israeli warships opened fire on his vessel off the coast of Gaza " said medical workers at Al Aqsa hospital in the Deir Al Balah area.

Internal chaos and clashes continue as gun battles erupted Monday night between Fatah gunmen and Hamas militiamen in the southern Gaza town of Rafah , killing two people and wounding 14 a day after a deadly explosion of internal violence paralyzed the Gaza Strip. The internal clashes have been causing fear and horror among Palestinian population not only in Rafah, but also allover the Gaza Strip and even West Bank .

Fateh affiliated gunmen went on strikes, protests and demonstrations against the new Hamas government because more than 170.000 employees have not received their salaries for eight month. The clashes have reached an uncontrollable level. Roadblocks have been setup all over Gaza making movement very difficult.

One of the targeted areas by Fateh affiliated militants was the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture which was completely set ablaze. The number of people killed there has risen to 10 while more than 150 Palestinians have died in internal fighting in recent days.

The chaos is not controlled by the Palestinian government since it does not have the funds to even pay for such things as fuel for police vehicles let alone pay salaries. The Gaza and West Bank government does not have the finances to maintain itself.

Najah Amran 45, a Palestinian woman and mother for 7 children said, "I was awake with all my kind all the night, we were not able to sleep because of the shooting. We kept ourselves hidden in the sleeping room with my husband and 7 kids. My youngest daughter is very scared, even the older teenagers, they are not able to sleep alone, they come to me in the night crying and saying that they are afraid"

In Rafah:

I got up yesterday because of the hovering of the Israeli F-16s and the bomb which hit one of the house in our neighborhood in Rafah, where I was asleep. The bomb was really scary and very loud and it smashed the windows of people's houses. It flattened and demolishing its target which was a two story house, and also killed two children and wounded many others. A similar bomb hit the Eastern part of Rafah, Tal Al Sultan. Again, many civilians were injured and killed by Israeli F-16s.

Some wander when all these attacks will stop so that life can come back to normal in Palestine . This is a question to which every Palestinian is waiting for an answer – but as usual – the only answer given is a green light for Israel to carry out more military attacks against Palestinian refugees. As I am writing, Israeli bulldozers are rooting up large numbers of olive and orange trees at Jabalya on the Gaza Strip.

In Rafah, the whole area of Al Shouka and Umm Al Nasser are under daily attacks. The media is unable to get into these areas. More people are getting killed and arrested. Houses are being demolished and the agriculture and greenhouses, the main source of income for these people are being deliberately destroyed. What else can we think but the Israelis purposes to destroy us all?