NEIGHBORHOOD DESTRUCTION IN PALESTINE
Khan Younis, A Town in Ghazze -- Part Six
By Samia A. Halaby
Documenting an inspection tour July 29-30 and August 1, 2001
Our next stop is Khan Younis and we are invited into the home of Ibrahime Ali Abu Awad. At one window there is a truly disturbing sight. As I photographed I was strongly warned to get away from the window and told that when ever the Israelis see anyone at the windows they shoot. What had caught my attention was a gondola hanging from a tall crane extending diagonally from what we were told is th settlement of Nave Dekaleem. This gondola is the source of much of the nightly shooting at Palestinian homes in addition to the tanks which approach nightly and bombard. It is critical to note here that the gondola would be exceeding vulnerable if the Palestinians had any weapons which would reach it. It makes it amply clear that the Israelis are not feeling threatened but are rather mounting a premeditated and cowardly military attack on residential neighborhoods.
An entire scene of total destruction - a plain of rubble where homes once stood is what we saw and photographed when looked at where the gondola was shooting. These apartment buildings are what the Israeli military youth have in their gun sights. On either side of the road leading to this scene are small shops pock marked by thousands of holes. In some areas there are holes which are about 6 x 6 feet created by a single missile each. In the street you can see the tents in which some of the people whose homes have been demolished now live.
These photos are close-up views which give a powerful idea of the damage inflicted on Palestinian homes. This is how Israelis kill -- slowly without too much bloodshed by destroying all that life requires. This is how, ever so slowly, they kill without letting the foreign media pay too much attention.
On the left a toddler stands next to the tent where his family now lives. In the photo on the right is a crown of boys one of whom I interviewed. He, Muhammad, tells me that his family used to live in one of the damaged apartments in these photos. His family now lives in one of the many tents pitched along the street wide open to Israeli fire. He tells that it has been seven months since the destruction of their home. As I question Muhammad further I find out he is 15 years old not 10 or 11 as I had estimated. I am in disbelief considering his size but his friends all confirm this. Yes, he is indeed 15. I become aware of the devastation of malnutrition.
Life is difficult beyond imagining in Ghazze. The ratio of habitation per square kilometer is nearly 1 to 700 between Israeli settlements and Palestinian areas. There is massive unemployment, hunger, malnutrition, a paucity of all that allows children and communities to thrive. Youth often take up a stance of defense of their communities and often many of these beautiful freedom fighters die. Notice the destruction above and notice the poster photo of a "martyred" freedom fighter on the electric pole to the right.
Part One - Al-Bireh and Beit Sahour (Towns in The West Bank)
Part Two -- More on Beit Sahour
Part Three -- Beit Jala (A town near Bethlehem in the West Bank)
Part Four -- The Malalha Tribe
Part Five -- Rafah, A city in Ghazze on the Egyptian Border
Part Six -- Khan Younis, A Town in Ghazze
Part Seven -- Northern Ghazze
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