IMEU Institute for Middle East Understanding
During the brief ceasefire on July 26, I traveled to Shoja'ea, a neighborhood in Gaza that was heavily bombarded by Israel a few days prior, resulting in close to 90 deaths in just one day. Dozens of houses and streets were destroyed. It looked like everything there was a target — humans, animals, and every stone.
on July 29, 2014
On July 25, the first time I left my house in 20 days since the Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip began, I visited an UNRWA school full of thousands of refugees from Shoja'ea and Beit Hanoun. Families were sleeping on the ground and had nothing except the clothes they wore when they evacuated their homes.
on July 29, 2014
On Wednesday, July 23, 600 mock coffins were displayed in the Palestinian city of Ramallah to commemorate those killed in Gaza since Israel's offensive began on July 7.
on July 25, 2014
Thirty years ago during a snowstorm in the village of Al Walajeh, 70-year-old Abu Nidal found a broken pine tree and nursed it back to life. In 30 years, the tree grew several meters high making it a landmark in his village and a source of pride for Abu Nidal whose life’s work has been dedicated to tending the land. Today, Abu Nidal’s tree lays at the edge of one of the last remaining stone terraces on his land, which has been confiscated for the building of the Israeli Segregation Wall.
on July 22, 2014
Last night, there was a huge demonstration against Israel's attacks on Gaza. The demonstration — which was supposed to be a march, was sponsored by Jabha, a socialist political party. The group applied for a permit to hold a march, which was granted. A counter-protest formed in short order, after Baruch Marzel, a right-wing politician, called on Israelis to join. The counter-protesters numbered in the hundreds, and perhaps more than 1000. We were on two sides of the street with the police atop horses, policing our side and forming a human chain around the counter-protesters.
on July 20, 2014
On July 16, while I was in eastern Gaza City taking photos of the many buildings recently destroyed by Israeli forces, a man approached me and asked if I wanted to enter his home to take photos of the inside. I accepted his offer and as he showed me around, I learned his name is Khamis Mraish and that his brother, Dr. Riad Mraish, ran a clinic from the home.
on July 19, 2014
Volunteers worked to extinguish fires left behind by Israeli warplanes that shelled the Hashem family home, one of at least seven Palestinian houses bombarded today in Gaza City.
on July 16, 2014
Six civilians were killed when Israel bombed the Al-Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza City on Saturday, July 12. These photos, which include a father who just lost his son, were taken about 15 minutes after the strike.
on July 14, 2014
As the death toll due to Israel's military assault on Gaza continues to climb, three disabled patients and a nurse were among those killed yesterday when a special needs facility was struck. These photos show some of the destruction left behind.
on July 13, 2014