Three fleeting hours of respite – so we rushed out looking for bread
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faresakram
faresakram
From 1pm, life started returning to the streets. Israel stopped the bombing and shelling briefly after 12 days to allow humanitarian supplies in, and to allow us to stock up on food. People emerged from their houses, many to the hospitals to look for injured family members or the bodies of dead loved ones.
Most people headed for the bakeries, others rushed around with empty containers looking for drinking water. I joined a queue in front of a bakery but unfortunately returned without a single loaf since the bread ran out before it was my turn. Going to the green market was disappointing; there weren't enough vegetables. There were onions and cucumbers but tomatoes, the one thing everyone wants, were scarce. Nor was there any eggplant. There was something on sale that we don't use so much here: sweet pepper, considered a luxury because it's expensive.
Most vegetables are grown in either the southern or northern ends of the Gaza Strip. As Israel has been dividing the territory into three it's difficult to transport produce into Gaza City. Fresh fruit is also something of the past as Israel has not allowed any in since early November last year. Strawberries are the only fruit Gaza is famous for and the Israeli ban on their export at least means we have one fruit in the market.
Everyone looked relieved and we're hoping the temporary ceasefire will be repeated. But it's a sad reminder of the time when Gaza was occupied by Israel before the creation of the Palestinian Authority and we had curfews that the Israelis would lift for two hours so that people could go to the market. Gaza is supposed to be free and unoccupied but in fact Israeli soldiers still have the power to keep us in our homes or let us go to the market.
In any case, the three hours passed quickly. We bought cans of fish, beans, cheese, eggs. I went to see my pregnant wife Alaa who is staying at her mother's house, and then rushed back at five minutes before 4pm, afraid that heavy bombardment would resume suddenly.
Our biggest need is still for cooking gas. We're finding ways to adjust; my mother remembered an old brass stove her father used 30 years ago. It's working well. But the smell of burnt kerosene, mixed with the smell of the food being cooked, and the sound of the burner, leave you thinking we have moved out of the 21st century. Waiting for the tea from this old cooker and holding the laptop in my arm, the two things didn't seem to go together.
You can trace the worst moments for Palestinians with our little brass cooker. My grandfather bought it in the 1950s. All Palestinian refugees depended on kerosene during the 1967 war. And it came into use again in 1991 during the Gulf war when Israel imposed a blockade on the occupied territories and the electricity was knocked out.
By dark last night, Israel had resumed the shelling, targeting a car travelling in the northern town of Beit Lahiya and killing four people inside. Maybe this brief ceasefire was a trial. But before any real ceasefire, you have to withdraw the tanks. The old brass stove will be in use for a few more days, I think.
Page Summary
- sisa74 : Ur Agony [+0]
- doushka : (no subject) [+0]
- artsit_e : I hope you are OK [+0]
- praestans : ignorant arab transliteration [+9]
- tomi_67 : We are with you in our hearts! [+0]
- tony_hartin : your log [+0]
- athelion : (no subject) [+0]
- sisa74 : hope u r ok! [+0]
- sisa74 : where r u [+0]
- sprout_thang : (no subject) [+0]
- 137jason : Condolences [+0]
- quest2009 : Update ? [+0]
- greg_dingo : Where is Fares? [+1]
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Comments
I am ashamed of the whole human race, animals have more compassion.
Is there anything, we, the general public can do?
I very much admire and appreciate your being able to write so eloquently to keep the world outside informed of this hideous situation, while you are undegoing deprivation and personal tragedy.
I hope to read more from you soon, and I hope also to hear good news from you soon.
If you are also compiling the list of visitors, the more - the merrier. Maybe American legislators will find out that no everybody approves of the Israeli tactics of scorched earth.
Dear Fares, please, continue telling the world what is happening in the occupied Gaza. We are fed up with the Israeli bought media parroting the Israeli propaganda.
the 'rapists' include their fellow arabs..who aid and abet 'the rape' they who stand around the victim, tellin the raper to hit harder and harder. fine job killin sunni/shi'i their muslim brethren. now lets not forger hama 1982. syrians certainly 'raped' their fellow arab brethren// gaza's like a walk in the park. 'oh what's that? it's the sound of saudi jets coming to help gazans...NOT !
If FarEs chooses to call himself Fares, who are you to tell him how his name should be spelled?
As for the "Rape of Gaza", your incoherent mumbling is totally off the mark.
There was, historically, the Rape of Nanking by the Japanese.
Now Gaza is suffering the same gate.
http://ekklesia.co.uk/node/8301
Prominent Jews of England address the problem:
Describing themselves as "profound and passionate supporters" of Israel - and supporting its right to defend itself against the "war crime" of Hamas rocket attacks - they added that the current tactics threatened to undermine international support for Israel.
The communication comes in the form of an 'open letter' to the government of Israel.
Prominent rabbis, academics and political figures are among the signatories, including Rabbi Dr Tony Bayfield, head of the Movement for Reform Judaism; Sir Jeremy Beecham, former chair of the Labour party; Professor Shalom Lappin of the University of London; Baroness Julia Neuberger; Rabbi Danny Rich, chief executive of Liberal Judaism; Rabbi Professor Marc Saperstein, principal of Leo Baeck rabbinical training college; and lawyer Michael Mitzman, who set up Holocaust Memorial Day Trust for the Home Office.
"faris" in arabic means 'knight' or 'chavalier' or 'horseman' -plural is 'fursaan' or 'fawaaris'. the ignorance of mr akram and arabs still stand since the kasrah is 'i' in English. see for instance d newman, arabic linguistics. as a teacher/arabist it's good to disabuse people of their ignorance tho obscurantists like yourself are averse. mr akram spells his name out of sheer bloody ignorance. that's all.
it's funny you characterise israel's actions as 'rape'.
since 'rape' proper is not being used unlike your feeble and effete attempt to draw parallels with japan. you're way out of your league, mate. and unlike of course in faris akram's religion where the muslim soldiers - had sex with the female captives..with their hubands watching this is reported by abu dawood!
There is a site http://www.fares.net/ in Arabic.
Your attempts to discredit the owner of this journal are spiteful and groundless.
Out of respect to Fares Akram I will stop responding to your silly mumblings.
Unfortunately at the moment all we can do is pray and try to open more people eyes to see the zionist lies.
We are with you in our hearts!
Tamas & Jasminka - a Hungarian and a Bosnian from Kuwait
Your blog is reliable, independent and straight forward.
Spoken like a true journalist.
Your blog is one which others can turn to for a voice in the Gazan-Israeli "war" - despite the ban on foreign journalists by Israel.
I hope for the safety of you and those of your family - that you survive, or get out of the conflict zones.
I hesitate to bring too much attention to you - I think it best for you to remain obscure during the conflict.
Keep blogging.
Regards,
Jason
Sydney, Aust.
The Zionist genocide machine begins its offensive on Gaza city.
Fares is OK, his baby is due tomorrow!
Let's wish them, Fares, Aala and their baby all the best!