Mohammed, the son of my brother
Me: Hello Mohammed, how are you? How is your father and your aunt Faten?
Mohammed: Hello uncle, we are ok, thank God. Everyone is so exhausted physically and psychologically. Yesterday I survived death by a miracle.
Me: What happened? How did you get that cut on your head?
Mohammed: At the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution centre, a thief tried to steal my flour bag and he attacked me with a knife, luckily it was not a sharp knife.
Me: Why did you go there?!
Mohammed: We have no choice. Either we die of hunger or risk our lives for some food. I went there and was trapped in the crowd for more than 4 hours. While the Israelis are shooting above our heads, each person is trying to use another as a shield, hiding behind each other. Many were injured and some killed. I was in this trap for 4 hours. I crawled more than 300 meters until I reached safety. Four hours of fear and panic. Then aid thieves were waiting for those who succeed in getting some food, waiting to steal from them. There were 2 people, one with a knife, they threatened me, asking me to leave the bag of flour. I was ready to fight, I did not obey. The one with the knife attacked me. At the same moment an explosion happened nearby, everybody was running, including the thieves and myself. I reached home with the bag of flour, half of it spilled on the way because the thieves cut into it while trying to take it from me. Never mind. We now have bread for one week.
Every thing is very expensive, only rich people can afford it. We are not rich; we don’t have income at all. All aid entering Gaza is stolen by gangs and then reaches the market at impossible prices.
Bara’a, the son of aunt Taghrid was injured, a truck drove over his foot, he has 3 fractures in his foot and toes.
We are living in a jungle. We never imagined such a life, not even in our nightmares. But it is happening. The famine has driven people to be monsters – not all people, but thousands, and they have guns. There are gangs created by individuals and by families.
Me: I am sorry, I am sorry, I am sorry please take care … please.
