30 April 04

Rafah is the devastation, destruction, and catastrophe camp. Wherever you turn your eyes, you will find eyewitnesses to the IDF's work during their incursions in the camp. Everyday new people are shot, it would be impossible to have an hour without hearing the sound of the shelling, shooting or the voice of this watching plane which occupying the sky day and night.

Last night, two people were injured while in their houses. Those houses are located near the border line, as this kind of killing which depends on the moods of the those soldier whom their only language is snipers and blood, as the children's targeting policy has increased recently in which was the last targeting by shooting the child Ahmed Zourb who get shot in Tal Al Sultan area after being seriously injured by the soldiers.

Moreover, Rafah crossing point and all Gaza Strip have been under a strict siege since along time, as this policy of closures in Rafah and Gaza Strip has began since the last week, by that way, thousands of people are waiting everyday the whole time to get into the crossings and checkpoint, in addition to that, Rafah witnessing a militant buildup every night and gathering of large numbers of tanks and bulldozers, this closures policy came in the Jewish Passover, and in these days it's continuous again for Israeli "independence" day, which is considered as the catastrophe from the Palestinians point of view.

" I must go and take my sons out of the houses" said by one of the citizens Fatima from Tal Al Sultan in Western Rafah Refugee Camp , as she said this after hearing bombings that occurs inside the Israeli Jews settlements, as it became so clear that these bombings where made by the settlers whom were celebrating their "independence" day.

On the other hand, the IDF extended closure of Gaza Strip as US warns citizens from staying and traveling in Gaza Strip. As the US State department urged its citizens to immediately leave Gaza Strip and postpone traveling, as that thing which make Gaza Strip empty from the journalists not only the Americans ones but also the other internationals specially the journalists, and diplomatic people whom didnt come to Gaza Strip anymore..

As that sudden decision made the Palestinian streets questioning: is that a new stage? Or is it a beginning of more Israeli escalation against Gaza Strip, those things which might be clear in the next few days, weeks or months.

A part of the Jewish Israeli settlement Kfar Darom, which is located on the land of the Palestinian citizens in Gaza Strip

26 April 04

Mona and Asma where not threatening the Israeli settlers and occupation soldiers when they were shot by Israeli bullets and teargas. They were killed immediately.

Mona and her mother

Asma and her family

Mona Abed Abu Tabak(9) and Asma Ali Al Qeak (4) they were killed with another 14 Palestinians in North Gaza Strip during an Israeli incursion three days ago.

Mona was standing and weeping only 100 meters from Al Nada Towers where she was witnessing the pain of other injured children in Balasam clinic. She was still screaming when she was shot then she joined those injured people who were carried by the ambulances into the refrigerators of the hospital.

According to eyewitnesses: Two bullets hit Mona in the right side of her abdomen and in her arm which created a very big whole in her weak body and some of her organs spilled out onto the ground.

She was carried in the ambulance as she cried: "I want my mother."

Her mother said: "My girl child went out with her younger brother to buy chocolate from the grocer near our house, then we get the news of her being injured then we found her body in the refrigerators of the hospital."

Asma (4) was killed by the poison tear gas that the soldier used in the incursion, as she fell into a coma for a long time after breathing the teargas. Her older sister was also injured three months ago and is still at the hospital since that time.

Two small bodies represented the innocence of children; they were carried out in the shoulders of the angry mourners, as the relatives of those two children were asking: what is the guilt of those two innocents children to get killed in a cold blood?!

A child insisted she wanted to have a last look at the bodies of her two friends who were killed in front of her eyes..

Children in Rafah mourning their friends

24 April 04

Here it's is the early morning - 5:22 a.m..it is the a setback time for tens of families who just arrived to their houses which became rubble. Looking at their faces you can see signs of anger and frustration, their eyes shedding bitter tears, their bare-foot children following them. All they wanted to know was what had happened last night after they had left their houses at midnight..

"May God help you," Abu Ahmed told his neighbour whose house was demolished, "we can do nothing."

Abu Ahmed yelled at his wife who was sitting in the rubble of the house with her hands on her head:"Is that time for weeping?" She began to pick up some of the rubble, but she fell down again on the ground after she found a partially damaged photo that looked like a wedding party with a groom and bride.. She felt to the ground and was taken to the hospital as she held her own wedding picture.

Abu Ahmed, Umm Ahmed and their children were some of the victims of that last Israeli attack that aimed at demolishing more and more house in Block "O" area, though the IDF have been demolishing a large numbers of houses near the borderline.

There were 25 bulldozers and military vehicles, and then another 5 bulldozers that were divided into two forces and began invading two different areas, one in Block "O" area and the other in Al Barahma near Block "J" as the two forces began by shelling the area and demolishing the houses..

Massive devastation:

The IDF completely demolished 20 homes and caused a large scale destruction to the infrastructure of Al Barahma area and Block "O", which is located near to the Egyptian and Palestinians borderline.

37new families joined the thousands of homeless families, without any kind of shelter. That makes the catastrophe of Rafah increased by the lack of rent apartments, so the only solution that those victims have is to stay in the tents and in the corner of the houses in a time that they are not allowed to setup their tents near the rubble of their houses. Even if they do so, they would face shelling from the watching towers and Israeli tanks in the area.

A group of schoolgirls are running and searching for shelter
during the shelling by the Israeli Apaches and tanks in the last incursion.

22 April 04

This subject is "Not for publication" in all media. News agencies did not publish this because "they dont want the diplomatic relation with the Arab league to get worse," as a news agency reporter said to me.

While Israeli apaches, tanks, bulldozers and who knows what is attacking the children and everyone in Rafah, and in the middle of international silence, Rafah children are asking: "Is there anyone to protect us? Is there any shelter! Is there any one to rescue us?!"! And of course the answer as usual, deaf ears.

Tens of Rafah children participated in a moot court that took place at the Rafah library, and many journalists media, lawyers and eyewitnesses from the damaged families, attended. The aim of this court was to indict the Arab League, Arabic rulers, kings, presidents and leaders.. Many groups of children were curious to know the result of this court.

Court's Verdict:

After listening to eyewitnesses and reviewing documents and papers, it was clear to the court that the accused Arab league is indirectly responsible for the Arab silence towards Palestinian issues, Iraq and the Palestinians refugees in Lebanon, as according to the international human law and Geneva accords in 1949, and according to the complaints by Rafah children to the Mini Palestinian parliament court to be considered the Arab league as a war criminals after the failure of the Arab Summit in Tunis, and not achieving any kind of peace for Palestine children.

Rafah children also invited all the children in the Arab world to boycott the Arab league and to boycott all conferences that deal with children's affairs..

Finally, the court ended by issuing a certificate of death of the Arab league, as this certificate was issued according to the Palestinian people law of the Death of the Arab League at age of 56 in obedience to personal benefits. The children carried an Arab league coffin and buried it in a symbolic grave made by the children in the heart of Rafah City.

The two pictures are for the staff of the court.. and the other picture is for a Palestinian boys praying mercy for the death Arabic league near the symbolic tomb which built by the children in Rafah..

20 April 04

Breaking News: The Israeli Apaches are Shelling Rafah Camp by heavy bullets at these moments. Five people were killed today by the IDF in North Gaza Strip

18 April 04

Two Palestinians have been injured two hours ago during shelling in Rafah Refugee Camp.. And other three were injured including a women in the Western Rafah Camp.

18 April 04

Only a few minutes after Dr. Abed Aziz Rantisi was assassinated together with two of his bodyguards and a large number of injured people living in Al Jalla Street, thousands of angry people came out in a very large demonstration condemning the assassination and asking for quick revenge.. Burning tires in every street in Rafah.. People are running in the streets everywhere. Shelling and shooting began to increase more and more in the borderline area and the settlements which make most of the areas without electricity..

In the morning hours, Hamas asked the people through loud speakers to join other demonstrations in Rafah and all Gaza Strip, after murdering it's new political leader Dr. Rantisi. Schools and universities are closed.

At this moment, over 100.000 mourners participated in Dr. Rantisi funeral in Gaza City where he was buried in Al- Suhada cemetery (Martyrs cemetery)..

As usual the world is silent and moving nothing.. People are slaughtered in cold blood by the Israeli technology war. Rafah is a fire right now as shelling is still continuous in all the areas, schools will have to be closed for the next few days as a black mourning days..

15 April 04

Click here for more pictures from today..

In that black sky, all I can see is red bullet fires coming from the Israeli Apaches planes.. it has a very nice looking but very horrific effect. I was not surprised that some of the children in Rafah followed these bullets and rockets when they fell from the Apaches.. Yesterday night, it was the second day of the incursion and a very large number of children went to see these bullets and rockets that came from the sky towards the damaged houses.. Some of the children followed these red rockets to see it's effects where it fallen, while other children followed it to collect rockets and bullets fragment in order to show them to the journalists who might come in the morning to see the results of the shelling..

It is 07:28 in the morning and still the incursion continues. The 40 Israeli tanks and bulldozers are still occupying the land, and Israeli apaches still also occupying the sky.. Where can I go? Should I go to photograph injured people in the hospital? I asked my self.. No, go to Block J which is the best area to take pictures of the injured people, but the camera has no batteries because the electricity had been down so long in most of the areas in Rafah..

The streets now are full of children everywhere; some of them sitting in some corners, and others gathering in small groups and referring to those black Apaches in the sky, while others are throwing stones towards bulldozer that are damaging the houses.. The bullets continue to fall from the sky, the watching towers, tanks and soldiers are shooting towards the children..

A Palestinian child trying to crawl towards other children after
the withdrawal of the IDF from Rafah Refugee Camp

In the same street, a very loud bomb, the children who are near to me yelling by saying" ambulance, ambulance!!" the two ambulances immediately inter till the end of that street, but couldnt arrive yet to the children who are yelling because of sands obstructions that made by the bulldozers.. 22 people from the same group who were transferring by the ambulances together.. no one can carry the injured children even the ambulance drivers after they realized that this was a helicopter bullets.. "Ambulance, ambulance" is these words that I hear from every where from the children who didnt get injured, again still other more injured people and the streets became empty after that helicopter hit..
The blood is everywhere, a group of pairs of shoes and sandals are spread in the street, the have blood after that hit.. The chance became impossible to take pictures in this area because the black apaches didnt differentiate between anything..

In the hospital!!

Abu Youish Al Najjar hospital was completely full of injured people everywhere and must wait till the operation rooms get empty, or it depends if you have a bullet or a rocket fragment in your arm or leg and in urgent need to get it out, so you need to wait for some times till the operations room gets empty.. Ali Barhoum (18 years) just arrive the hospital after being killed while he was in the backyard of his house..

Relatives are rushing, running as if the tank chasing them.. the one who hear about his son get shoot or his brother or any one of his relative so all the family come to see what had happened to their relatives, but that women was the most strange who began by yelling and screaming in the hospital, but her voice was loud comparing with the others yelling and screaming&Horrible, scaring and freighted moments if you just have a look at these moments in the hospital where the children are lie in the beds and waiting the time to get into the operation room.. From here, Abu Yusif Al Najjar hospital written the plights of these Palestinians who were only the victims of their curiosity which force them to go out of their houses and began watching the helicopters, apaches and F16s..

Withdrawing:

The apaches and helicopters just left right now and all the children go out again, but still the watching small plane in the sky.. The Israeli planes withdrawing was only a first step to withdraw from the block "J"..

It is 05:10 in the early morning, people getting into the damaged area to see the result of the incursion where is a very large numbers of demolished houses.. it's the same as museum, but it differs in one thing, is that when the people go to museum you will find pleasure and happens in their faces, but in that demolished houses museum people are still coming to see the plights of each others.. The children are collecting their belongs and damaged furniture, just right now, a women wearing black and came asking her daughter:" where is our house?!" An interview with her was completely difficult because she felt down in the ground and began weeping.. In an interview with someone of the damaged families who gave his name as :" victim" and refused to speak when I ask him what is his massage to the World then answer it by saying:" you and your colleagues journalists have been writing so long time, and we haven't seen any result from your media coverage, and remember that my massage for the world is already known by the damaged families before me"

Bulldozers and tanks come back again?!!!!! I can't believe this, the bulldozers and tanks just came again while I was photographing the children and people near their damaged houses.. I thought
we all get killed, but 20 minutes crawling in the rubble of the houses and in the damaged water supplies, till the shooting stop then all escape from the area because the bulldozer is removing the rubble of the houses that they demolished..

From Al Shut and Block "J" camps in Rafah the bulldozers moved by invading Hay Al Salam area and began the attack by massive fir and demolishing two houses owned by the Saleh Al Ajrami and Musleh Qeshta, as this attack is still continuous in Hay Al Salam area up till now..

14 April 04

Breaking news: Attack now against Rafah... I am writing from an Internet cafe and cannot write very much.

12 April 04

12 year old Iman Tuleh

"She just came back right from her school, put down her school bag then said: Mom, I'm hungry and I want to eat. I went to bring her a beans dish from the kitchen, and when I returned I found her lying in blood in the room where she was sitting.. No, no I can't forget.. no no." This is the mother of 12 year old Iman Tuleh, who was weeping in disbelief at what had happened to her daughter.

Iman was one of those hundreds of children who were killed when it was clam and no shooting. but by what?! Unfortunately she was killed by a silent explosive bullet.. This new technology here is used in the bodies of Palestinian children..

As usual and only for keeping the world silent , the Israeli newspaper Yediout Ahronot mentioned that Israel is going to check and investigate that crime..

Still Khan Younies Refugee Camp has it's own problems.. Children simply can't sleep at night nor go to school. An Israeli child born to enjoy his life, while and a Palestinian child is born to get killed by international weapons..

Thousands of angry men, children and women are now participating in Rafah and every part of Gaza Strip in a very large demonstration carrying slogans about Iraq. These began yesterday by unorganized demonstrations made by the children in Rafah after the recent events.. as the demonstrators were condemning what is going on in Iraq and asking the world to stop the occupation.

9 April 04

The IDF invaded Eatern Rafah Refugee Camp with 8 tanks, and two bulldozers and demolished 30 denims which planted of olive and vegetables and another four houses..

Eyewitnesses in the area said that a number of tanks and bulldozers invaded the area and began by demolishing four houses that belonged to Abu Shwsha's family who used to live near the damaged international Gaza airport, as the bulldzers began by building sand blocks and then began building new Israeli watch towers..

IDF soldiers also began targeting construction workers, working for UNRWA and fixing the partially damaged houses in Tal al Sultan. They shot Zyaad Fathi Al Sududi (30). Al Sududi was shot in the head.

Moreover, a large number of Israeli tanks and bulldozers invaded Oraiba area in Rafah leaving demolished agriculture plots, and another three agriculture denims and a water well which provided the area with clean water..

6 April 04

Rafah Refugee Camp has been under a very massive incursions for 48 hours..

The Israeli Army invaded the camp under heavy shelling from apaches planes and another 25 tanks and 5 bulldozers on land.. Israel called this militant operation by the name" the Pure Sky", and Israeli media mentioned this time that this attack targeted demolishing tunnels used to smuggling weapons. People in Hay Al Salam neighborhood are denying it, as the targeted area is far from the borderline by no less than 700 meters..

Rafah after withdrawing: picture taken three minutes after withdrawal. People watch the result of some of the damaged areas after withdrawing from Hay Al Salam

Mohammed Abed's mother weeping after the killing of her son
by the IDF in front of his house.

Thousands of mourners carry the body of Mohammed Abed

Mohammed Abed (19) was killed during this outrageous Israeli military operation in Rafah Refugee Camp. He was shot with 2 bullets by an Israeli sniper who was taking position in the highest buildings in the area , and another 6 women were injured in next day of the attack.. The soldiers were not allowing ambulances to get to the injured and the area completely blocked by the tanks and bulldozers..

An old women got out of her house waving a white flag in her hand, and when I asked her why she was running, she said: "Fire from the sky."

Israeli bulldozers demolished the main arboretum ( Abu Taha arboretum) in Rafah which is considered the main one, having all kinds of rare trees and plants in the southern of Gaza Strip. They also destroyed the water supplies and electricity providers, telephone lines, and the sewage systems. .

Three Israeli apaches hovered abruptly over the neighborhood , opening their heavy fire randomly on the houses which forced people to leave their homes and seek shelter elsehwere.

This evening, thousands of mourners came, carrying the body Mohammed Abu Samhadnah (19) after being killed with other two people by a tank shell in Gaza City..

3 April 04

No electricity, no internet connection even their are no signs of life here following the last attack which is ongoing to this minute and which had started two days ago.. Many houses were demolished and many people were killed. NOW there is a military buildup.. Will write more soon.