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| October 15, 2009 |
Shifa' Hospital
Incubators are not working. Since the January war, 8 children from this small hospital (which was partially destroyed) died from cancer and cardiac disease because the hospital lacks the ability to treat them and they did not receive the necessary permit to be treated in Israel.The doctors told me in the last 3 months the number of congenital abnormalities has doubled. "We don't know why" they said and they hope there will be an inquiry as to the long term effects of the '"white rain" or phosphorus that was dropped upon the people of Gaza. There is no question that the immediate effects were horrific. Terrible, agonizing injuries. It can't be washed off; it sticks and burns through the flesh.
From Gaza
The UN has called for a lifting of the blockage that isolates Gaza. "Protection, food, water, health care and shelter are basic human needs, not bargaining chips" said John Holmes, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator.From Gaza
I'm still in Gaza with rare internet access. So much to say.On Dec 27th leaflets were dropped warning the 1.7 civilians here that the attacks would begin. But in Gaza there is nowhere to flee. The borders are sealed. Gunships patrol the shoreline. That evening an intense, 22 day assault Israel calls 'Operation Cast Lead' began- by air, sea and land. Schools,homes and hospitals were bombed and bulldozed. 1,400 civilians were killed; 350 were children.
256 schools, 7 hospitals and 20 medical clinics, 6000 buildings and 50,000 homes were bombed.
Many of the children here are traumatized. I visited a school where little girls told me they saw relatives shot, many of their homes were bombed, and one child said the soldiers dug a deep hole and ordered her family to get into it. She said she believed they would "cover us with earth". She survived and lived in a tent for months. "It's hard to study" she told me. "There is no electricity and it's hard anyway."
A teacher told me when the children hear a loud noise they jump and scream and watch the sky. They say they don't know what will happen next.
More later