Israeli Attack on Gaza, June 3-4, 2012

Rosa Schiano

On the night of June 3, 2012, Israel conducted a series of air raids hitting several areas in the Gaza Strip. At about 2:00 am, the Israeli Air Force struck:

• an inhabited house in Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip. The house was struck by 4 missiles. Seven people were injured including 4 children;
  
• an uninhabited area to the west of Nuseirat, in this case the missile has remained unexploded;
  
• an uninhabited area between a mosque and a house, always in Nuseirat;
  
• a farm in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip;
  
• a farm in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip;
  
• an uninhabited house in Deir el Balah, in the central Gaza Strip;
  

The following night, June 4, 2012, the Israeli Air Force struck again several areas in the Gaza Strip:

• a farm that produces cheese in the Zaitoun, east of Gaza City;
  
• an uninhabited area in El Kashif mountain, north of Gaza City.
  

On June 4, in the morning, I went to visit the house in Nuseirat.  The house is completely destroyed. Two missiles have left two deep holes in the ground. Inside the house, two missiles punctured the ceiling of the bedroom, one of which also went through a wall. Debris and glass were scattered everywhere.

Another home nearby was heavily damaged. Part of the ceiling collapsed on a cot where a little girl of 3 months named Deema was sleeping.

Video I shot on the spot:

http://youtu.be/9ujPPL-lpGo

Ibrahim Khalil Alfiqi, 23, was alone in the home hit by four missiles.

The house was destroyed where he was soon to be living with his wife. In a month they were to hold a party for their wedding. Ibrahim had prepared everything. The bedroom was ready.

He had put a mattress in a room of the house where he was sleeping every night, next to the bedroom. At about 2:00 am, Ibrahim was awakened by a huge explosion. The door of the bedroom fell on him and he was hit by fragments of the ceiling. When he started to move the door to go outside he heard another explosion. He tried to open the outer door but did not succeed. Then he heard another explosion. He pushed the door with force and escaped. He went to the home of his brother Mohammed, next to his, and asked him how he was. He saw the ceiling of the house of his brother damaged.

Deema, the baby girl on whom part of the ceiling collapsed was injured. Ibrahim also saw some cousins ​​wounded. Ibrahim had a bleeding leg. He was transported by ambulance to the hospital together with Deema. Deema, 3 months, was subjected to X-rays and has reported several cuts because of the ceiling collapsed on her body, and a concussion to head due to the impact of the ceiling.

Alive by a miracle.

Ibrahim was wounded by shrapnel from a missile on the leg and bruising due to the impact of the door that fell on him.

Ibrahim then immediately wanted to leave the hospital because his mother was very worried and thought that the little girl was dead.

"I ran away not knowing what had happened in my house - says Ibrahim - then on my return from the hospital I saw that the bedroom was destroyed. Alhamdulilah I said, having survived, but looking at the room I wondered how I would rebuild it again."

Ibrahim has to buy replacements for every thing.  He has to buy windows, to replace the ceiling. Ibrahim earns only between 700 and 800 shekels a month, he can not now buy what the house needs.

His brother Mohammed Khalil Alfiqi, 26, was asleep in the home next door with his wife and two children, Deema, 3 months, and Leen, 3 years.

"It was about 2:00 in the morning - said Mohammed - we were sleeping. Suddenly we heard an explosion near the home of my brother Ibrahim. My brother works as a mechanic, not working for any political party, is a civilian. The celebration of his wedding is set for July 6. He does not have much money, he went into debt to buy everything for his apartment. "

The explosions also damaged the house of Mohammed. His daughter Deema, three months, was sleeping in the crib when the ceiling collapsed on her body. His wife and eldest daughter, Leen, have received medical assistance on site. Deema was instead transported to 'Al-Aqsa hospital in Deir El Balah. Deema reported bruising to the skull, cuts to the arms, stomach, close to one eye and a leg.

Mohammed earns about 1700 shekels a month, and pays university tuition for his wife, claims his father who does not work, and her sisters who are studying at university. Their family is from Swafet.

In total, people injured in this attack are seven: Alfiqi Ibrahim, 23 years; Deema Alfiqi, 3 months; Alfiqui Tareq, 23 years; Jebreel Mohammed, 4 years; Feras Jebreel, 5 years; Jebreel Hussien, 16 years; Wesam Jebreel , 3 years. The last four in that list reported cuts caused by glass and rubble.

The family of Mohammed invites me to sit down in the courtyard of the house of Ibrahim, among the rubble.

A relative asks the small Leen, 3 years old, "Who woke you up this morning?", "A bomb," says Leen.

Some families invite me to stay for lunch ... as if it were a normal day.

As if the missiles had not just destroyed their home. As if we were not among the rubble. I remain amazed once again at the power of these people, and they are fascinated and enamored of their reception among the rubble of their eyes, which, despite everything, I smile.

On June 4, I went to the farm destroyed overnight by an Israeli bombardment. The farm is located in an inhabited area in Zaytoun, eastern Gaza city.

The farm is completely destroyed. The roof, shattered on the ground, still has a huge hole caused by the bomb dropped from an F-16. There was an unbearable smell of chlorine mixed with milk and cheese. One of the owners of the farm told us that the bombing occurred at 1 .15 at night. There was no one inside the farm, but a passerby was injured. The farm produces milk and cheese, and is the fifth time that was bombed. The last attack took place a year ago. Six families depend on this farm, every family is composed of eight persons. One family sold their house to be able to rebuild and now lives at another house to rent. "It is a new distastro - said one of the owners - we do not know how to begin again." Some owners are opposed to re-build the farm, fearing to be destroyed again.

Israeli spokesmen have announced that they had hit military targets. Many international media have reported the statements of Israeli spokesmen. The truth is otherwise.

The truth is made up of civilian homes reduced to rubble, collapsed ceilings at night, families of impoverished, frightened eyes of children, were wounded.

The Gazawi rebuild their lives from the rubble once again.