As if the Israelis well practiced the devices and techniques to kill the hope inside us the Palestinians, the last operation in Gaza, proves that the killing machine of the Israelis is now created to put more pain and bitterness on the people of Gaza by targeting their small tiny buds, the innocent children, from infants up to toddlers, to even teenagers, and the only reason is that they are Palestinians.

I still can not erase the images that stuck on my mind of the killed children of Dardouna family who were playing football in their house yard in Jabalia, like an addicted I was searching for the story details, as if the images with all its sorrow, grieve, and bloody color was not enough for me, “I was playing with my cousins” said Yehya” suddenly we were targeted, Ahmed’s head was far away from his body, I did not feel my legs, I was screaming as well as the other kids, we were not kids anymore” “I saw parts of my cousins bodies flies around me” the boy continued. Unlike other fathers who mourn the death of their children, Ali’s father can not show his grieve nor can he cries the death of his 8 years child, the father is deaf and dumb, all what left to him is a piece of his son cloth covered with blood that he holds tightly.

Anas Attalah, was the dessert for a one year marriage, his house received a missile from an F16, the boy lost his father, two aunts, both grandparents and the mother was injured, he was thrown away meters from his house, a three weeks old baby. I still remember how tiny, peaceful, dreamful they are in this age. “Nothing kept for Anas to remember his father, every thing was burned” the mother said “I just want to ask what did my three weeks baby did the Israelis, he is just a helpless baby”. Anas is still in the hospital and doctors can not determine the size of damage that will affect Anas and his body for all of his life!!!!!!

Mohamed Al Buri five months old, was the light that added to his parents lives after five years of their attempts to have a child, their small house was full of toys even that needs years so the boy can play with, all were left covered with dust and questions, “why my son was killed, he was peacefully sleeping in his cradle, I only have the chance to hold him for five months, I was counting the days when he can say mother” the grieved mother said.

“The Israelis don’t think that I have suffered enough during the pregnancy and delivery time” “they wanted to put more sufferings and pain on me” said Amira’s mother, the 19 days old baby killed by shrapnel that hits her head in Khanyounis “I was holding her in my arms when the Israeli soldiers started to shoot at me, a bullet hit into my shoulder, they left me bleeding for three hours, I though my baby was sleeping in my arms” “ I only knew a day after when I wake up at the hospital and asked to see her”

Unforgotten moments that were longer that the nine months of pregnancy, longer than the delivery pain, and longer than the 19 days of my daughter age!!!

These images are the last but not least, the circle of targeting what brought us happiness, hope and joy will continue, form Mohamed El Durra, to huda Ghalyia, to many other stories about children who are not children any more, and who are sentenced to death even before they are given the chance to grow up and to be what they are meant to be.

-###-

March 18, 2008 By Najwa Sheikh in Gaza