No eyes or ears for the cries of Gaza

by Liam Ryan - None Thu Apr 17, 2008 14:07

Here is a slideshow which starkly highlights the Israeli induced poverty in Gaza today.

http://palestinefreevoice.blogspot.com/2008/04/story-of....html

The thing that I find utterly shocking when I look at these photos is that they are similar to something one might see in the aftermath of a natural disaster or in a famine. Something that the EU might be sending aid to combat and doctors to treat the victims of. But its not. It's purposefully induced misery of day to day Israeli state policy. This is actually a political success story for Israel, they set out to achieve this misery and have efficiently done so.
As a loyal supporter of Israel, the EU endorses this and by default these scenes become an extension of the Common EU Foreign Policy. Our government supports this.They want us to endorse it by voting for the EU treaty in a month or so and in doing so we will be rubberstamping this atrocity as an act that represents our democratic wishes for the Middle East.
Im not lying when I say my Great Grand father died for Ireland's Independence and I feel sick when I see where that independence is leading us. We are becoming part of the Empire that we suffered under for centuries and I for one want out of this. I dont want this on my hands anymore.

by pat c Thu Apr 17, 2008 11:23

From the Ministry of Health in Gaza:
Press Release

On the 16th of April El Wafa Medical Rehabilitation Hospital and its premises in the besieged Gaza has been targeted by the Israeli tanks for the second time. The attack resulted in a clear damage to the hospital buildings and infrastructure and premises and left massive damage to the departments, windows and caused complete outage of power and water. The attack has even caused damage to the cable of the only generator in the hospital putting in a great danger to the life of the paralyzed and coma patients who need constant medical and nursing attention and frequent suctioning. Furthermore, all patients and a staff are in a state of shock due to the relentless in the vicinity and inside the hospital. Many shrapnels and bullets even penetrated into the patients rooms in every section of the hospital.

Based on these tragic events we would like to reaffirm the following:

1- El Wafa hospital strongly condemns this inhumane attack which has put the lives of our patients and staff in a real danger.

2- On the light of poverty, shortage of fuel, strict siege on Gaza our hospital has been the lung through which our disabled clients breath and it has been the only place where cases of spinal cord and head injury are treated.

3- This is the second time where the hospital buildings and infrastructure has been attacked as the first time was in February 2002 when two of our nursing staff were shot dead by Israeli military forces while positioning one of the spinal cord patients inside room No (214).

NB: Since the beginning of the attack we have been in constant contact with international organizations especially the International Red Cross Society.

4- During the attack we have had a complete shut down of water and electricity.

5- The operation theater of the hospital has stopped completely as a result of the Israeli military attack.

6- At the end we ask the international community, the human rights organizations, the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the International Red Cross Society to save no efforts to put an end to this repeated Israeli military aggression on civilians and health institutes, patients and staff.

El Wafa Medical Rehabilitation Hospital
Gaza
16-4-2008

by pat c Thu Apr 17, 2008 11:12

Report from PNN. Full text at the link.

Israeli forces killed a 23 year old member of Saraya Al Quds, the armed resistance wing of Islamic Jihad, Thursday morning. The attack came this morning to Jenin’s town of Qabatiya in the northern West Bank. Israeli forces also killed a 16 year old boy during the invasion.

Members of the armed resistance were defending against the invasion and particular house. Israeli forces had encircled a home and began firing. The armed resistance returned fire. During this exchange the resistance member and the teenager were shot by Israeli forces.

by pat c Thu Apr 17, 2008 11:08

Here is a report from the Palestine News Network. Full text at link.

Israeli forces killed 19 Palestinians Wednesday in the Gaza Strip. Beginning this morning they killed four members of Hamas and one from Islamic Jihad in the Al Shajaiyeh neighborhood of Gaza City. Two Israeli soldiers were killed.

Later Israeli forces killed another Palestinian and two soldiers were injured in Beit Lahiya in the northern Strip. And at 5 pm, nine Palestinians were blown apart in the central Strip's Al Bureij Refugee Camp, the site of days of destruction and killing. Among them was Reuters cameraman, Fadal Shana'a, and throughout the day a high number of children. Mohammad Dahlan sent his condolences. As of 9:30 pm the death toll is nearly 20, with a large proportion being children as attacks against Al Burjeij continue.