OccupationalHazard.org 05.22.04

The Occupation - 05/22/04

Report: Army Redeployed in
Rafah, Left Mass Destruction

George Rishmawi - IMEMC

Hundreds of Rafah residents went out to the streets especially in Tel AlSultan and AlBarazil area, where the focus of the Israeli military offensive Operation Rainbow was, to find out that a huge area was destroyed and leveled to the ground.
The military operation started Monday, which Israel claimed was aimed at uncovering tunnels used by Palestinians to smuggle weapons and to hunt (arrest or kill) resistance operatives, resulted in the killing of 54 and the wounding of tens. In addition, the operation led tothe destruction of around 90 homes, which left 1000 homeless in the four days of the operation, according to an UNRWA report.
As the residents heard of the partial Israeli withdrawal from the area, they went out to check on each other, as they could not at some point look through their windows, for fear of being killed or attracting the attention of the soldiers, which might cause them to lose their house.
Eyewitnesses described the situation in Rafah as four days in hell and could be the worst ever.
"Since Monday, we live a terrible situation, as we are in guerrilla war, where everything is targeted. The Israeli soldiers used to shoot at us from all sides. The houses are full of bullet holes, which forced us to stay in one room to avoid the intensive shooting at the house, unable to reach the little food supplies we have in the house to feed his ten children," said Rafah resident As'ad Abu Jazar.
Saryya Al-Mugheir, went to take goodbye look at her two children Ahmad and Asmaa' who were both killed on the second day of the attack when they were on the roof, feeding the doves and collecting laundry set out to dry. The bodies were put in a refridgerator in Abu Yousif Al-Najjar Hospital, as the morgue was filled with bodies of people killed in the attacks.
Saryya went home later to make sure the house had a supply of food and water, getting ready for the next stage of the operation and to welcome the relatives and neighbors who came to pay condolences.
Samira Abu Anza, who had a baby boy during the operation said that labor started while the area was facing a heavy shelling. She did not know what to do. Her husband sent a call through one of the local radio stations, which brought them an ambulance that took her to the hospital, where she delivered her new baby alone; the father had to stay at home to look after the kids.
Dr. Ali Mousa, the director of the hospital said that 39 new boys were born in Rafah during the past week.
Sa'dia Qishta, another resident of Rafah said, while trying to retrieve some of her children's belongings from under the rubble of her destroyed house, "All their classes and books are under the rubble, school exams are soon, what would the kids do now?"
The residents of Rafah are still concerned that the army will resume the military operation, especially that the Israeli army said that the operation did not end, they are changing units only."
The army redeployed in Rafah and did not withdraw, signaling a new attack and ignoring the international condemnation, hiding behind an Arab silence and American support.

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Report: Army Redeployed in Rafah, Left Mass Destruction
George Rishmawi - IMEMC





Hundreds of Rafah residents went out to the streets especially in Tel AlSultan and AlBarazil area, where the focus of the Israeli military offensive Operation Rainbow was, to find out that a huge area was destroyed and leveled to the ground. The military operation started Monday, which Israel claimed was aimed at uncovering tunnels used by Palestinians to smuggle weapons and to hunt (arrest or kill) resistance operatives, resulted in the killing of 54 and the wounding of tens. In addition, the operation led tothe destruction of around 90 homes, which left 1000 homeless in the four days of the operation, according to an UNRWA report. As the residents heard of the partial Israeli withdrawal from the area, they went out to check on each other, as they could not at some point look through their windows, for fear of being killed or attracting the attention of the soldiers, which might cause them to lose their house. Eyewitnesses described the situation in Rafah as four days in hell and could be the worst ever. "Since Monday, we live a terrible situation, as we are in guerrilla war, where everything is targeted. The Israeli soldiers used to shoot at us from all sides. The houses are full of bullet holes, which forced us to stay in one room to avoid the intensive shooting at the house, unable to reach the little food supplies we have in the house to feed his ten children," said Rafah resident As'ad Abu Jazar. Saryya Al-Mugheir, went to take goodbye look at her two children Ahmad and Asmaa' who were both killed on the second day of the attack when they were on the roof, feeding the doves and collecting laundry set out to dry. The bodies were put in a refridgerator in Abu Yousif Al-Najjar Hospital, as the morgue was filled with bodies of people killed in the attacks. Saryya went home later to make sure the house had a supply of food and water, getting ready for the next stage of the operation and to welcome the relatives and neighbors who came to pay condolences. Samira Abu Anza, who had a baby boy during the operation said that labor started while the area was facing a heavy shelling. She did not know what to do. Her husband sent a call through one of the local radio stations, which brought them an ambulance that took her to the hospital, where she delivered her new baby alone; the father had to stay at home to look after the kids. Dr. Ali Mousa, the director of the hospital said that 39 new boys were born in Rafah during the past week. Sa'dia Qishta, another resident of Rafah said, while trying to retrieve some of her children's belongings from under the rubble of her destroyed house, "All their classes and books are under the rubble, school exams are soon, what would the kids do now?" The residents of Rafah are still concerned that the army will resume the military operation, especially that the Israeli army said that the operation did not end, they are changing units only." The army redeployed in Rafah and did not withdraw, signaling a new attack and ignoring the international condemnation, hiding behind an Arab silence and American support.
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