1- Three killed, including a 10 years old girl, 25 shot wounded in the
Gaza Strip
2- Give us our Childhood, Not Death
1- Three killed, including a 10 years old girl, 25 shot wounded in the
Gaza Strip
Saed Bannoura -IMEMC & Agencies, October 13 2004, 15:55
A medical source at the European Hospital in Khan Younis, in the south
of the Gaza Strip, said that Ghadeer Mkheimar, 10 years old died of
wounds sustained on Tuesday, while she was at school, and Khader Al-
Tallouly, of wounds sustained on October 10, 2004, raising the number
of residents dead in the Gaza Strip, on Wednesday, to three.
Ghadeer Mkheimar, 10 years old, sustained critical wounds to her
chest, on Tuesday morning, after soldiers centered near Naveh Dkalim
settlement fired at a school which belongs to the UNRWA, in Al-Sad Al-
Aaly area in West Khan Younis refugee camp.
Moreover, Dr. Jom'a Al-Saqqa, head of the Public Relations Office at
Al-Shifa Hospital, said that Khader Mohammad Al-Tallouly, 28 years
old, died of wounds sustained on October, 10, 2004, in Jabalia refugee
camp.
Al-Saqqa added that Al-Tallouly sustained critical wounds to several
parts of his body, and that he was announced clinically dead on
Tuesday, until he died on Wednesday morning.
It is worth mentioning that soldiers shot wounded approximately
twenty-five residents, seven children, on Wednesday.
Dr. Manar Al-Farra, head of Al-Awda Hospital in Tal Al-Zaatar, in the
north of the Gaza Strip, said that 13 residents were hospitalized
after sustaining injuries in Beit Lahia, in addition to two other
residents who were shot wounded in Jabalia refugee camp.
Al-Farra added that seven children were shot wounded, and six
residents who were critically wounded on Wednesday and that most of
the injuries were to the head, heart area and the neck.
Ten other residents were hospitalized in Kamal Adwan Hospital, in Beit
Lahia, in addition to two other residents who were shot wounded in
Jabalia refugee camp, in the north of the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian killed in the north of the Gaza Strip
Saed Bannoura -IMEMC & Agencies, October 13 2004, 12:24
A Palestinian medical source in the north of the Gaza Strip said that
a military apache fired one shell at a home killing one Hamas
activist, and wounding three other activists on Wednesday morning,
while army prepares to widen its operations.
The source added that a sever exchange of fire erupted between a
resistance group and soldiers, supported by several tanks and a
military apache, raiding Beit Lahia, in the north of the Gaza Strip
overnight
According to an Israeli military source the fighting erupted before
dawn, as tanks and armored vehicles moved into the northern Gaza town
of Beit Lahia.
A local source said that the apache fired one shell at a home killing
Mohammad Ma'rous, 22 years old, and wounded three other activists.
On the other hand, Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas,
said that one of its groups fired several mortar shells at Ghadid, and
Atzmona settlements, in the Gaza Strip.
The added that it detonated an explosive charge under a troop-carrier,
and that another group fired a shell at a military bulldozer, in Beit
Lahia, on Wednesday at dawn.
Army, on the other hand, claimed that a military unit from the "ninth
division" and "Givaaty" division raided Beit Hanoun in order to limit
the range of the Qassam shells.
Army claimed that the military raids managed to limit the range of the
shells, and that shells are currently only capable of reaching the
Negev towns after "limiting their range", according to the source.
Earlier on Wednesday, a resistance group fired two Qassam shells at
the Negev town of Sderot; the shells exploded in an open area causing
no injuries, according to the source.
It is worth mentioning that the Israel Israel's Chief of Staff, Moshe
Yalon denied reports that the army is apposed to the continuation of
the military operations in the Gaza Strip, and claimed in front of the
security cabinet that the army requested to be redeployed into new
positions and not to halt the operations.
Moreover, army source claimed that the operations aim to pressure and
limit the ability of the resistance, and that "the operation will
resume, and reach new areas which army did not operate in and target
other activists, according to the source.
2- Give us our Childhood, Not Death
Saed Bannoura, IMEMC, October 12, 2004
Children are the most affected by any conflict in this world, the
faultless victims of brutality and advanced weapons technology, those
tiny angles, the builders of the future and our continuation of earth,
are subjected to all sorts of military violence and aggressions which
harvests their lives without any moment of remorse.
As the military operations against the Palestinian areas resumes,
daily casualties fall in front the of the massive damage of machines
and shells, most of the children who had no fault but being in a place
were they shouldn't, or should be
.
When a child is shot dead at school, on the way to school, or even in
their mother's arms, what sense does it make? When your own home, or
when school is not a safe place for children.
Among the stories of the continuous aggression and military
violations, the story of Raghda Al-Assar, 11 years old, who was shot
in the head while she was on her school seat.
Raghda who was happy at her first week after summer holiday, filled
with dreams and happiness at school, but an angry bullet of a hateful
rifles took her life…and dreams away, her only fault was…being at
school receiving education and dreaming of a bright future.
.
Raghda's blood covered her seat, in a Khan Younis girls School, which
will remain empty, leaving the school for sadness and shock; after
soldier opened fire at the school killing her while tens of students
rushed in fear out of their classrooms an attempt to save their lives.
Yet, the story is Raghda is not the first…unfortunately not the last
too…Iman Al-Hamss, 13 years old girl, from Rafah, was shot dead with
more than twenty bullets which penetrated her body and face, and her
childhood dreams, on October, 5, 2004.
Iman, wearing her school uniform, was walking with two of her friends,
was shot dead by the Israeli troops with more than twenty bullets, and
even after her death, soldiers barred ambulances and medical teams
form reaching her, for more than thirty minutes.
Army claimed that soldiers shot her when she ran away, as they
suspected her of carrying an explosive device.
Contradictory to the Israeli story, Dr. Mu'awyeh Hasanein, director of
the emergency rooms in the Palestinian Ministry of Health said, Iman
Al-Hams received at least 20 bullets to different parts of her body
which caused her death.
Israeli sources reported later that army admitted that they found only
books in the school bag Iman Al-Hams was carrying when she was killed.
As usual army found an explanation for this issue, the magic solution
is called "Military Slang", which refers to shooting at a person at a
close range after he has been already shot to the ground; the action
is taken to assure that person does not and can not pose any danger.
But, the Question which remains never answer is "what did this
innocent 13 years old girl do, except being a student, what danger did
she pose on soldiers centered on military posts and monitoring tower?"
These stories bring the memory back to the first day of Al-Aqsa
Intifada, the Story of Mohammad Al-Durra, 12 years old, who was shot
dead on Saturday, September 30, 2000.
The child who died in his father's arms, who was critically wounded,
on Netzarim Crossing, in the Gaza Strip, the death of Al-Durra was one
of the most horrific scenes which a camera could ever take.
Al-Durra and his were taking cover behind a concrete block, less than
70cm high, while army opened automatic fire which took the innocent
life of the child.
The screams of the desperate father, and calls for help were not
enough, a Palestinian reporter who identified himself as Talal Hasan
Abu Rahma, who works with a French TV filmed the horrific scene, which
some people think that it only exists is action movies.
The Child was shot to his leg at first, his father tried to calm him
down, waving and screaming for help, while army was shooting as if in
a battle with hundreds of soldiers, there was no exchange of fire in
the area, the reporter said.
"Army did not stop, shot the father and his child, and yet, continued
shooting at them, this is a murder, I saw it, and I lived to tell the
story of a cold blooded murder, army shot in all directions, but
mainly at the father and his child, I, as well as the other reporters
and residents were all in great danger of the automatic non-stop fire
of the army centered in the area", Abu Rahma said.
Another story of military aggression takes us to Khan Younis, in
particular the story leads us Batn Al-Sameen area, in the west of Khan
Younis, south of the Gaza Strip.
This time military fire took the life of a 12 years old girl, who was
shot dead at home, Sara who was among her family in a place which
should be the safest place for a child…home, and the nurture of the
family.
Yet, bullets of hatred penetrated the window and took away the
innocent life of the child, her father, Mohammad Zo'rob, saw his child
falling in front of his eyes, soaked with and blood pushing out her
last breath on this earth.
In Al-Shaboura refugee camp, in Rafah, another folds a story of
continuous military violence, a story of a missile which take away an
innocent dream.
Hamad Al-Neirab, 11 years old, from Al-Shabora refugee camp, in Rafah,
could not make his dream true, and his vision amidst the continuous
air strikes and shelling which polluted the air, and the tiny dreams.
Hamad, the child, who dreamt of becoming the Ronaldo of Palestine,
wearing his shirt carrying No. 9, and raising the Cup in the middle of
Rafah refugee camp, lost any chance of fulfilling this dream.
The dream ended suddenly, May 10th, was the end of his dream; Hamad
and his brothers were listening to the Radio, following the news about
Tel Al-Sultan neighborhood, which became a battle field crushed by
Tanks and used as a training zone to the military snipers, practicing
their hobby of killing the tiny dreams.
Hamad joined the peaceful procession in Tel Al-sultan neighborhood,
with tens of children and residents, who only chanted against the
occupation and military operation, but a military helicopter and some
tanks fired several rounds and two missiles.
Mohammad lost his leg, and lost his dream with it; the dream of
"Ronaldo" disappeared, his hopes and dreams, he lost his leg, the new
reality forced him to start thinking of a new dream, to be an
engineer, but still he has to overcome his pain and loss.
"I can't be Ronaldo without my legs, one leg is not enough, this is
football not chess" he said, "I still have my hands, when my father
works and have some money he will teach me", (the father stood there
with an artificial smile to cheer his son.
Another child, identified as Ghadeer Mkheimar, 10-year-old girl, was
recently shot wounded, while she was at her school seat in Khan Younis
Primary School, which belongs to the UNRWA, in Al-Sad Al-Aaly area in
West Khan Younis refugee camp, in the south of the Gaza Strip.
The child was critically wounded to her chest., a teacher at the
school said that there was no shooting or clashes in the area, and
that army fired at the school without any reason while the students
were at their classroom.
Yet, the story goes on, endless stories and cases of military
aggression not only against the resistance, as the army claims, but
also against the children and women, one child after another, one
angel after another failing in front of the continuous military
violence.
How many children does it take to realize the truth, how many innocent
lives to lose more, what is the crime of the Palestinian children,
aren't they like any other child in this world, is life that cheap? or
cheap in a place but not the other?!
Palestinian children are crying for the sake of humanity, "Give us a
chance, let us live as your children do, give us our childhood and let
us be the future generation instead of being buried in our graves.
