HOSSAM MADHOUN’S MESSAGES ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCES DURING THE ISRAELI ATTACK ON GAZA IN 2014
20 August 2014
Yesterday I received an email from Hossam and Jamal saying that they could not guarantee they could to bring together their company for the work leading up to Sunday 14th September but were working on it. Our launch event for our War and Peace: Gaza-London project is on that day at 4pm at Rich Mix in London. They said they would do everything they could to be there for the skype exchange. As hostilities started again last night I got this SMS from Hossam:
No agreement, my dear. Nothing clear.
And then this morning, this email message with the following attachment:
Dear Jonathan
Yesterday we were almost sure that war ended, at the last hour everything collapsed, war continues!
Attached something I wrote
Be well and pray for our safety
Love,
Hossam
… and in the war
… and in the war, like in every war, sadness prevails….
… and in the war, like in every war, you don’t watch the news, you are the news …
… and in the war, like in every war, you look for safety and some bread …
… and in the war, like in every war, you cannot alleviate the fear of your children, as you are as afraid as they are …
… and in the war, like in every war, you want to escape, but there’s no way out …
… and in the war, like in every war, faces are gloomy and you may not ask why, you know why …
… and in the war, like in every war, wherever you go destruction surrounds you ..
… and in the war, like in every war, you postpone all your plans…
… and in the war, like in every war, you cancel your holidays …
… and in the war, like in every war, you miss your friends who live nearby but you cannot visit them..
… and in the war, like in every war, no time for 5 o’clock tea …
… and in the war, like in every war, you don’t walk your dog every day as you used to do …
… and in the war, like in every war, you don’t go to the cinema anymore …
… and in the war, like in every war, no time for music …
… and in the war, like in every war, war continues.
But this war is not like any war!
In this war, the powerful army is supported by everyone
In this war, the ICRC (International Red Cross) can’t help as the powerful army prevents them from helping
In this war, children are the favorite target
In this war, the powerful army enjoys bombing civilians’ shelters
In this war, hospitals are targeted
In this war, every single person is in misery
In this war, no one is not in pain
In this war, the pain stings everyone to their bones
And last word is to my dear Tolstoy:
‘We are still looking for peace.
Dear Tolstoy, we do really want peace
May peace come one day.
May peace prevail soon?
Dear Tolstoy, so far, darkness prevails over Gaza.’