Homeward bound Gaza in 24 hours
Homeward Bound: Gaza in 24 Hours
How can I convey what I have seen in the little faces? (Middle East Children’s Alliance)
By Dr. Mona El Farra – Gaza
As soon as I arrived home, I felt a great relief, if that is the right word. I had been unable to return home to Gaza since before the 23 days of bombing of Gaza earlier this year, because of the ongoing siege. I am not sure that the word relief summarizes my intense and conflicting emotions. Mixed feelings of relief, happiness, but also disorientation, continued to overwhelm me. Gaza my beautiful home, yes, my beautiful home, my beautiful people, who are trying so hard to live. To continue from one day to another. Despite the odds, the hardships, the deaf ears of the world.
The same day of my arrival home, July 9th 2009, I could see from my balcony the rubble of what had been at one time Arafat’s headquarters, The whole building was completely demolished, leveled to the ground, blowing out the windows on one side of my apartment building. It is the same place where one of my cousins was killed in the first day of the attack assault against Gaza last December -January.
I now see a different Gaza, and it is not the Gaza I have known; it is like a city after an earthquake.
Many of the historically important buildings were leveled to the ground. I decided to postpone my field visits to the different areas where the assaults were the most savage and brutal. I thought it might be a good idea to wait for the arrival of the delegation of US citizens who were due to cross the border.
