Buddy and the drone
As every dog needs to walk, I have to walk my dog, Buddy. Buddy is a naughty dog, not friendly with strangers or children. If anyone approaches him, he will bark aggressively. So, I had to walk with him at times when the streets are almost empty. And due to the war and bombing and fear of people, early mornings and early evenings, the streets are empty. People are afraid to go out, waiting until full daylight to start moving out. They are afraid of being targets by unseen, but very well heard drones.
I am not less afraid than others, but I have no choice. Buddy needs to go out, to walk, and to do his natural business.
At six in the morning and at 7 in the evening I take Buddy and go out. The streets are empty, dismal, not comfortable at all. Drone noise in the sky, getting close, feels as if it is inside my ears. I walk with Buddy and feel the fear and uncertainty. How many people, civilians, were targeted by these drones? The soldiers behind the screen controlling the drones are using it as a video game. They see the Palestinians as images not humans, and they treat Palestinians as if they are the evil ones in a video game. They target them and shoot them to record more scores,
I walk and can’t stop thinking of those soldiers behind the screen controlling the drones, who are watching me! What do they think about me? Will they consider me as a target? Maybe the image of a human with a dog in the cursed land of Gaza will provoke them. Maybe they will feel that this image must not exist in Gaza. I walk and I have these thoughts in my head, increasing my fear. It happened several times that I had to cut short the walk after a few minutes because of the feeling of anxiety and of not being safe. Poor Buddy, what he has to go through! Poor us, what we have to go through!