Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Israeli jets gave free airshow over Gaza

A COUPLE OF ISRAELI FIGHTERS gave foreign visitors to Gaza an air show on Tuesday norning, thus encroaching into Palestinian airspace. I asked our guide from the Foreign Ministry, Ahmed. He just shrugged his shoulders and said that this so-called airshow has been a regular feature in the Palestinian sky. My team and I stood in silence watching the fighter pilots flaunting their skills. The show was so high up that we couldn't hear the roar of the jets, but the display stopped many people in their tracks. As it turned out, there was reportedly some kind of explosion which killed an Israeli soldier in south Gaza. The jets could very well have been sending a message to Palestinians that the death of the soldier could trigger a military action from the Israelis. As for me and my team of Yayasan Salam volunteers, we were taken on a tour of some of the residential locations that were bombed and destroyed. Some 5,000 homes were apparently completely destroyed. The locals went about their business in the usual manner, according to Ahmed, the ministry official who is just 25 and recently married. Ahmed promised to share more background information on the recent war in Gaza, insisting that the Palestinians' will to survive will prevail.

6 comments:

devilmaycare said...

I was told that the number of deceased stands in Gaza stood at no more than 500 to 600. Most of them are youths between the ages of 17 to 23 who were recruited to the ranks of Hamas, who sent them to the slaughter.

Is this true?

Ahmad A Talib said...

Dear devilmaycare,

Information isn't something which is easily available especially in times of war as seen in Gaza. Almost every Govt officer I met gave the number of casualties as about 1,400 dead, almost 50 per cent of them were children. The same figure is being quoted by world news services. I'm inclined to believe that every living Palestinian in Gaza, regardless of age and gender, and political ideology within Gaza, would fight for their land. Fatah or Hamas is a vehicle by which their struggle is launched.

TQ

devilmaycare said...

Thank you for your response. I have read some contradictory reports about the war and am pleased that there is someone from one of us who is on the ground to report about the situation there.

I heard another rocket was fired this morning by Hamas to break the ceasefire. I am troubled and heartbroken to see the faces of so many children suffering. From your perspective, is it worth the fight?

Saya... said...

Devilmaycare...read Free Gaza websites and also a reporter in Gaza, Canadian, foreign witnesses and see in kids are fighting or just balsted to death for fun by the bloody israel army here:

http://ingaza.wordpress.com/

google also Free Gaza

Unknown said...

Dear Sir

Thank you for this first hand account.

It provides a fresh and personal angle.

Will be following your blog ...

We wish you a safe journey on this meaningful mission.

Anonymous said...

...please where can I buy a unicorn?