By Mohamed Omer
I had a long day, an awful day,
taking photos and writing from
on the ground in Gaza City and
northern Gaza.
I met with two children who
survived Wednesday's Jabalyia soccer bombing: the other
4 kids were, as you likely know, killed. One of the children I
saw had no flesh on their legs, had burns all over their
bodies from the tank's shelling. This was one of the scariest
things I have seen yet, and I have seen a lot more than that.
Only today, 35 killed, still going on and 180 injured, many
were women and child. Hospitals appeal for blood donation
and fuel for ambulances.
I asked one boy to give me details of what happened that
Thursday afternoon. The 9 year old boy cried while he
told that he'd seen the decapitated head of his cousin
strewn far from his body, arms and legs, far away from
where they were all playing soccer. His mother added that
there wasn't any electricity when her son was admitted
to the hospital.
He was crying as he told the story, his tears hurting him
even more than his psychological pain, as he has burns in
his eyes. His mother uncovered his wounded leg where I
could only see bones without flesh in places. I could not
understand how he managed to lay down conscious, but
knew it was a consciousness full of pain and anguish. I felt
this pain in my own heart and head.
As I talked this child's mother, she said that she'd had to
evacuate her children, as it's no longer safe to be in that
area where the children had been playing. The kids
ranged from 6 to 14 years old. The two ones who
survived said they had all been playing soccer in
front of the door of their house in Jabalyia when the
Israeli missile hit them.
I finally came back home some hours ago, after waiting a
long time to find transportation. But, eventually managing
to make it back to Rafah, I collapsed for a nap for an hour.
My sleep was disrupted: I awoke scared by the bombing of
F-16s (I learned later on). I ran from my bed through our
dark house, and seeing no one from my family inside,
I ran without shoes into the street. People were out in the
street, young men running. I didn't understand, didn't know
what I was doing other than that I was running but didn't
know to where. Most people's windows were down, shutters
closed, as it is freezing cold at moment.
I was glad not to be injured by shattered glass and debris
on the streets. I made it back home to write this on my
laptop. But I've decided going back to sleep is not a good
idea, no matter how exhausted I am. If I have to die
(not my wish), I want to be awake, so I know I'm dying,
and by whom. Not asleep.
-Mohammed Omer is an International Award Winner:
Best Youth Voice from New America Media 2006.
0 Have Your Say!:
Post a Comment