Monday, March 19, 2012

The onslaught began…….Friday March 9th, 2012

March 10, 2012 by irishingaza

March 9th 2012, Gaza
Approximately, 4.00 p.m
First Drone attack in Tel-el-hawa area of Gaza city, 2 confirmed dead, 2 injured, but this is just the beginning of a day of slaughter, murder and destruction,

By 5.30 p.m., after another drone attack in Zeytoun area , Gaza city, the death toll reaches 4 and will continue to rise….

A day of bombardment from air , sea and land, The martyred and injured taken to Al Shifa. To the North, South, East and West and everywhere in between, no where escaped. Loud explosions constantly rattled the windows and shook the building. Sirens pierced the already filled Gaza skies. Tomorrow will be a day of funerals, repair, and most likely despair, assuming it is not another day of mass killing and destruction of an already hurt land and people. Those of us still safe enough to post online do our best to keep everyone informed as we are not so foolish anymore to believe the “mainstream media” will give us any news time !
A CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS.
To add to the pressure, we lose power by 10.30, some of us were lucky enough to have gotten a small refill for the generators, but others are not. So , not only can Gazans’ not report their stories, share their fears or spread word of an attack, many can now no longer keep check on friends and family members. At Al shifa hospital the injured keep coming……..but the power outage now hinders the treatment of the injured.

Al Shifa Hospital: Friday 9th march 2012, A continuous stream of Ambulance carries the bodies of the Martyrs to the morgue. Outside the morgue was a scene of chaos, coupled with grief and anger, .

The father of one of the Martyrs sits on the ground outside, oblivious to the crowds surrounding him, his eyes vacant and empty, he will never see the world the same again. His other son stands near him, shaking violently, protecting his father from the journalists and reporters, a bottle of water is the only form of comfort Derek can offer him, there are no words in any language that will make tonight acceptable.
The injured arrive by ambulance, by car and in the arms of family and friends, as the bombs continued to land within metres of the hospital.

By 9.30, Confirmed death toll reaches 5…
At Al Shifa hospital the injured keep coming……..
Does nobody care? When did the wanton killing and destruction of a land and it’s people become acceptable? Since when is it ok to scare children, deny them sleep, safe haven or a decent childhood?

By 11.30, Confirmed death toll reaches 6….
The hospitals in Gaza are already in dire need of medicine and equipment , blood supply runs shorter, the water is polluted, the fuel has all but finished, the electricity is intermittent at best, the siege is strangling the people and now this.
By 12.00 am , Confirmed death toll is 7…
The drones fly low over the night sky, the explosions are now less frequent but nobody is relaxing or being lulled in to any false sense of security, Gaza is awake and will not sleep tonight
2 more loud explosions to the west, medics report difficulty reaching the injured and possible dead because of the power outage.
12.30 am, The Area close to Palestinian Legislative council building has just been targeted, 3 dead many more injured. Gaza city under repeated attack Warplanes now attacking northern Gaza.
12.45 , Confirmed death toll now reaches 10
Large explosion close to El Nuzeirat refugee camp , home to 66,000 refugees.

1.00 a.m. Confirmed Death toll reaches 12
Generator fuel runs out at 1.00 am, so we get a few hours restless sleep until we are shaken from our beds again by a huge bang ... the destruction somewhere in Gaza continues.

Photographs by Jeff Bright. FB: Jeffrey Bright photojournalist.

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