Looking for Trouble

Israelis gun down activists on flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza

This report was updated at 10:55 a.m. on Monday, May 31.

(begin update)

As many as 19 people were killed on boats carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza were attacked tonight by Israeli forces while the flotilla was still in international water, according to activists on the ships and news reports.

The latest Al Jazeera report says that:

“”Israeli commandos have attacked a flotilla of aid-carrying ships off the coast of the Gaza Strip, killing up to 19 people on board.

Dozens of others were injured when troops raided the convoy of six ships, dubbed the Freedom Flotilla, early on Monday.

Israel said activists on board attacked its commandos as they boarded the ships, while the flotilla’s organisers (Free Gaza Movement) said the Israeli forces opened fire first, as soon as they stormed the convoy.”

The flotilla was attacked in international waters, 65km off the Gaza coast.

Footage from the flotilla’s lead vessel, the Mavi Marmara, showed armed Israeli soldiers boarding the ship and helicopters flying overhead.

Al Jazeera’s Jamal Elshayyal, on board the Mavi Marmara, said Israeli troops had used live ammunition during the operation.

The Israeli Army Radio said soldiers opened fire “after confronting those on board carrying sharp objects.”

No one on the ships was armed.

(end update)

BBC reported that:

“The Israeli navy has stormed a convoy of ships carrying aid to the Gaza Strip, with reports of at least two people killed.

Armed forces boarded the vessels overnight, clashing with some of the 600 protesters on board.

The exact location of the interception is unclear. Israel had warned the ships not to enter its territorial waters.

The ships are carrying 10,000 tonnes of aid to try to break an Israeli-led blockade.

Turkish TV pictures taken on board the Turkish ship leading the flotilla show Israeli soldiers fighting to control passengers.

The footage showed a number of people, apparently injured, lying on the ground. The sound of gunshots could be heard. It is not clear whether the fighting is continuing.”

An earlier statement on the website of the Free Gaza Movement said:

On May 24, 2010, the Freedom Flotilla sets sail for Gaza determined to, once again, challenge Israel’s blockade of 1.5 million Palestinians trapped in an open-air prison. Under the coordination of the Free Gaza Movement, numerous human rights organizations, including the Turkish Relief Foundation (IHH), the Perdana Global Peace Organization from Malaysia, the European Campaign to End the Siege of Gaza, and the Swedish and Greek Boat to Gaza initiatives will send three cargo ships loaded with reconstruction, medical and educational supplies. At least five passenger boats with over 600 people on board will accompany the cargo ships.

These passengers include members of Parliament from around the world, U.N., human rights and trade union activists, as well as journalists who will document the largest coordinated effort to directly confront Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza and take in basic supplies.

The mission, according to the Free Gaza Movement site, is “to break the siege of Gaza. We want to raise international awareness about the prison-like closure of the Gaza Strip and pressure the international community to review its sanctions policy and end its support for continued Israeli occupation. We want to uphold Palestine’s right to welcome internationals as visitors, human rights observers, humanitarian aid workers, journalists, or otherwise.

“We have not and will not ask for Israel’s permission. It is our intent to overcome this brutal siege through civil resistance and non-violent direct action, and establish a permanent sea lane between Gaza and the rest of the world.”

The group has stressed that they want to achieve their goals through nonviolence.

Guest blog by Gerri Haynes: The medical delegation heads for home

As she did last year, Gerri has organized a Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility delegation of doctors and other health care providers to work in hospitals and clinics in Gaza in an effort to directly help the people there and to bring attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the Israeli blockade has created. She has been sending back reports from inside and outside the Israeli blockade. This is her final post before returning to the United States. (While her flight was delayed in New York, Gerri added to this post.)

This morning, we traveled early to Haifa to attend the first part of a conference addressing a one-state solution. We met colleagues from Physicians for Human Rights, Israel, and learned of the work they are doing. Their representative, Sameeh, told us that PHR’s main objective is to get good access to health services for the West Bank and Gaza.

Sameeh described the difficulties in getting people to services – sometimes requiring that patients be taken long distances “out of the way” to get to nearby facilities that are almost inaccessible because of the separation Wall.

PHR is also working on a nutrition project – studying how the siege is affecting nutrition in Gaza. They are gathering and compiling information from NGOs in Gaza – focusing on what Israel allows to be taken into Gaza, on the prohibited fishing situation, and on agriculture.

Almost 48% of agriculture land in Gaza is not workable. The land in the buffer zone is not accessible and bombing has made much of the earth unsafe to farm. Most importantly, water is a critical issue in Gaza.

Sameeh reported that 95% of the water is contaminated and 80% of drinking water is privately supplied – an economic disaster. Many of the wells have been bombed. NGOs report that because of the contamination of the water, the growth of children is stunted. There will be an ongoing study by PHR on these issues.

Comments on a one-state solution varied from the hope for this possibility to an opinion that such a state already exists – but that many of the citizens (West Bank, Gaza and Palestinian Israelis) have few or limited rights.

During our visit to this region, we have heard many opinions about solutions to the current untenable divisions – with the majority of commentators to our group holding that a one-state solution is impossible and a two-state solution is a distant hope.

We had a walking tour of the Old City in Haifa and visited the lovely Bahai Gardens, then turned south to the airport.

We will fly home tonight – again grateful for this time and the wonderful people we know here.

(Here is Gerri’s add from New York.)

Hello from New York – Our plane will be a little late and I want to complete this blog with this message from a lovely 23-year-old woman from Gaza. Sahar is an interpreter and teacher and she sends this message to all:

Dear people on the other side of the land,

I am writing to yourselves from Gaza where insecurity and uncertainty and a second war, in every moment, is expected.

I write this and I am aware and sad that on the other side of the land, Palestinian rockets are expected, too. This needs to come to an end.

I, and most of my people, believe that people everywhere, regardless of their religious, political, cultural and social state, are entitled to peace and love; respect and dignity. You, the same as we, are entitled to a decent, safe life that no one on the planet has the right to violate and spoil.

If you believe in the above mentioned, you are my partner to start the first step towards peace, comprehensive and endurable for all.

May peace and love come to the world and to you,
Sahar Salem, Gaza, Occupied Palestinian Territories

Guest blog by Gerri Haynes: Delegates meet with Israeli activist

As she did last year, Gerri has organized a Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility delegation of doctors and other health care providers to work in hospitals and clinics in Gaza in an effort to directly help the people there and to bring attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the Israeli blockade has created. She has been sending back reports from inside and outside the Israeli blockade.

Today felt like a bonus day. We waited for a meeting that didn’t happen, then were treated to an exquisite history and tour of East Jerusalem by Yohav, a member of the Israeli Committee Against Housing Demolitions. With brilliance and humor, Yohav dismantled Israel’s approach to occupation and settlement development.

Using maps, he demonstrated the diminution of Palestinian land and told us that Israel’s dilemma is, “land we want and people we don’t want.” The governmental expansion of what constitutes the municipality of Jerusalem from a relatively small area around the Old City to an area that stretches from Ramallah to Bethlehem was, he said, an effort to address that dilemma. By taking into Jerusalem Palestinian land which was sparsely populated and then walling out (with the Wall) more heavily populated Palestinian areas, Israel effectively protected their need for more land with a Palestinian minority – making Jerusalem ever more difficult to share. This process of walling out cut off families from relatives, children from schools, people from economic possibility and agricultural land from the people who own it.

He claimed that the decrease in suicide bombings is not due to the Wall, but more probably due to a very effective Israeli secret police force and a decision by Palestinians that suicide bombing was not being effective. Since 20,000 Palestinians move “illegally” into Israel every day to work (without a permit and by moving around the Wall), he held that it is illogical to believe that the Wall is the major cause for a decrease in suicide bombings.

Since the Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem pay the same taxes as the Jewish residents of East Jerusalem and should therefore have the same municipal services, Yohav invited us to compare the appearance of the two areas. West Jerusalem: modern roads and sidewalks; East Jerusalem: “where the sidewalk ends” along pot-holed roads. West Jerusalem: classrooms with twenty-plus students per classroom; East Jerusalem: in need of 1500 new classrooms and double-shifting its students. The Israeli Supreme Court has adjudicated this issue but only about one-third of the mandated classrooms are under construction and due for completion on the time-line established. West Jerusalem: modern sewage system; East Jerusalem: ancient septic systems that drain into the ground water and affect the health of the entire area, etc.

Building permits are rarely awarded to Palestinians in East Jerusalem and residents who build without a permit are fined and/or their home is destroyed. Since 1967, more than 25,000 Palestinian homes have been destroyed. New, permitted, construction is underway in East Jerusalem – for Jewish Israelis. We drove through Sheikh Jarrah – an area under present contention.

This afternoon, we traveled to Bethlehem to visit WPSR’s 1993 World Peacemaker Award winner, Zoughbi Zoughbi, director of Wi’am, The Palestinian Conflict Resolution Centre. Zoughbi talked with us about the political situation in Palestine, the devastating effects of the Wall on the people of his area, the problems with water (Israel turns controls the water to Bethlehem and recently turned off the water to the entire city for 13 days) and his constant hope that justice and peace will come.

Zoughbi is a member of the City Council of Bethlehem and very active in conflict resolution for the people of his city. As we walked with him to the Nativity Church, almost every person we passed greeted him by name.

In the Wi’am office, we met Amira – a delightful woman who is studying and writing about the Nakba. She related her tunnel experience in 2006. Unable to gain admission to Gaza, she walked and crawled through one of the tunnels – spent two weeks learning about the situation of that politically tumultuous time – then walked and crawled through a tunnel back to Egypt.

Having just seen the tunnel area in Rafah, we were stunned by the thought of this petite and courageous woman finding her way in and out of Gaza through this most dangerous route.

Reluctantly, we said goodbye to Zoughbi – our friend since the first WPSR visit to this area of the world in 1993. He has traveled with WPSR delegations to Iraq and Syria and throughout his home.

We wish for Zoughbi and all the people of this region a pathway to peace.

Guest blog by Gerri Haynes: Goodbye Gaza, hello Jerusalem

As she did last year, Gerri has organized a Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility delegation of doctors and other health care providers to work in hospitals and clinics in Gaza in an effort to directly help the people there and to bring attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the Israeli blockade has created. She has been sending back reports from inside the Israeli blockade.

As we said “goodbye” this morning to our friends in Gaza, we were acutely aware that, no matter what the stresses of crossing through the Erez checkpoint, we could freely leave – our friends cannot. Thankful for this time to serve in Gaza, we know that the solution lies not in temporary visitors, but in justice for the people – for the opportunity to live freely.

At the checkpoint, there were only a few Palestinians crossing – nearly all of them were temporarily leaving Gaza for medical care that is not available in Gaza. One tiny little boy with a dialysis shunt in place left with us. He was traveling with his grandmother who told us he is ten years old – although he looked at maximum two years. He moaned and cried out from his wheelchair throughout the long walk between the Palestinian entry point and the Israeli exit. We were thankful he is able to receive care, but wished he did not have to make this arduous journey. We wished again for the citizens of Gaza to have full access to care in their homeland.

As we rode through Israel into Jerusalem, we noted the fields of blossoms and vibrant agriculture along the way – and the presence of F16 fighter jets over our heads. We had heard from a friend that bombs were dropped yesterday by Israel in Gaza – none of us had heard the explosions, but tonight’s news told of further destruction along the “no man’s land” area of Gaza. The F16s were a reminder of the tenuous nature of life in Gaza.

The Old City beckoned and most of our group toured through the market areas and some of the sacred sites of Jerusalem. Tonight, Hillel Schenker – long time friend, member of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War and co-editor of the Palestine-Israel Journal – and David Helfand, son of our friend, Ira, National PSR Board member, joined us at the Notre Dame for dinner. David, a U.S. citizen, is living temporarily on a kibbutz between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and is planning to pursue Middle East studies. Hillel has lived most of his life in Israel and gave us some of his views on the current complex situation and his hope that the present opportunity for peace will be realized. Hillel is a strong supporter of peace and a two-state solution. We spoke of the potential for a one-state solution, but were advised that this is an unlikely solution – promoted more often by U.S. citizens than by residents of Israel or Palestine.

Tomorrow, we will meet with three Israeli groups who work for peace – then travel to Bethlehem to meet with Zoughbi Zoughbi, director of Wi’am, The Palestinian Conflict Resolution Centre.

Guest blog by Gerri Haynes and Laura Hart: A farewell to Gaza

As she did last year, Gerri has organized a Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility delegation of doctors and other health care providers to work in hospitals and clinics in Gaza in an effort to directly help the people there and to bring attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the Israeli blockade has created. She has been sending back reports from inside the Israeli blockade.

Our final day for this visit to Gaza – with more surgeries and clinic visits, more consultations and visits with the people we encounter. In this pressure-cooker environment, it is amazing that people are friendly, gracious, and – there’s that word again – resilient.

This evening, we were treated to a farewell gathering in the lovely garden of the home of Dr. Eyad Sarraj, his wife and two of his sons.

Among the family’s guests was John Ging, head of UNRWA and its 10,000 employees in Gaza. Ging, a lawyer, previously served in Rwanda, Bosnia and Kosovo. He has been repeatedly recognized for his fair and hopeful work in Gaza – insisting that Palestinians have been known for their vast majority wish for peace.

As he spoke with us tonight, about the recent threat to the UNRWA Summer Games site and the threats on his life, as well as about broader topics such as the siege and the effects of this internationally illegal collective punishment of the people of Gaza, we were impressed by his wisdom and dedication to finding to support the people of the Middle East. He assured us that the Summer Games will be held and that the Hamas government is working to assure the safety of the games.

Laura Hart wrote this tonight:

As I prepare to leave Gaza I am struck again by the contrasts. The complexity of the surgeries Rich performed and the consultations I had with patients, pales in comparison to the challenge of the everyday life of the average Gazan and the politics of this region.

This afternoon when I rode back up the West Coast of the Gaza Strip, small fishing boats in the foreground, I caught sight of an Israeli war ship patrolling at the three-mile offshore border they established. Another very large speedboat traversed the horizon at the same point.

It is hard to imagine life with this constant reminder of the open-air prison in which Gazans live. On the other side of this narrow strip of land, along the border of Israeli, long-settled Palestinian farmers face anxiety from the ever-present Israeli Defense Forces, simply for cultivating their fields. Random shots into the fields are common.

For all the intricate surgeries we performed on children and the joy this brought to their parents, I am sad that for some I saw, the appropriate medical therapy is not available in Gaza. They must wait, hope and pray for permission to cross into either Egypt or Israel where medical supplies and resources are consistently available.

It is not for lack of interest or enthusiasm on the part of the doctors and other health care providers that health care is limited. The sanctions on the Gaza Strip since Hamas was democratically elected in 2006, exact an onerous toll on all the people. Since Operation Cast Lead in late 2008 and early 2009, building supplies are nigh impossible to obtain.

John Ging told us this evening that there is a need for 100 new schools in Gaza. Classrooms are critically over-crowded – so much so that school children rotate classes – not just half/day classes, but sometimes they have two classes indoors and one class in the dirt yard outside their school, so that other children may use the classrooms.

As an example of the spirit of the people here – I was touched this evening when the owner of the number one gelato shop in Gaza, Kasam’s, treated us when he heard about our volunteer work in Gaza.

He said, “I love the American people.” The gelato was excellent, but he said it was better in the past when he could get the ingredients from Italy. He envisions the day when he is able to make gelato the way he knows it can be made.

I was reminded tonight, that ultimately it’s not about politics, it’s about the people – people who share the same dreams and aspirations, hopes and fears that we do. I am buoyed by the remarkable vision and drive of the young people we meet, whether they are physicians, technicians, interpreters or teachers. Today, Mohammed, who has been interpreting for me during the last ten days, acknowledged that his wife noted he seemed happier than she’d seen him in months since he lost his job. For him, working with us reminded him of the world outside the Gaza strip and the possibilities of justice, tolerance and empathy.

Thank you to Gaza. So many people have made Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility’s journey to Gaza possible. We thank particularly the staff of the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme: Dr. Eyad Sarraj, Dr. Ahmed Abu Tahwahina, Husam El Nounou, Dr. Yasser Abu Jamee and Heba El Sadeq. For their direct and constant care and attention, we thank Marwan Diab, Amani Malwan Naouq, Wejdan Byomi, Asharf Qandeel, Azza Rady, Rana Ayyad, Osama Ramlwy and Vera Macht – and all of the wonderful people whose names we have failed to gather but will forever carry in our hearts by face and spirit.

The physicians and staff of Al Shefa Hospital, the Public Aid Hospital and Al Awda Hospital received us and encouraged our work. The women of the Women Empowerment Programs and Clinics were our teachers. The staff of the Islamic University welcomed us and our participation. We are very grateful.

We were hosted at Marna House – now our home in Gaza –and are thankful to the wonderful staff for making us feel welcome. As we move to Jerusalem Wednesday morning, we look forward to our next visit to Gaza.

Guest blog by Gerri Haynes: Meeting with the prime minister of Gaza

As she did last year, Gerri has organized a Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility delegation of doctors and other health care providers to work in hospitals and clinics in Gaza in an effort to directly help the people there and to bring attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the Israeli blockade has created. She will be sending back reports from inside the Israeli blockade.

This, our next-to-the-last day in Gaza has been full of activity – a day that began last evening.

Our beloved friend, Dr. Eyad Sarraj, first director of the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme, returned from abroad and spent the evening with us, reviewing the current situation – its challenges and hopes.

Eyad is revered in his community and internationally for his wisdom. He spoke of the war on Gaza and the ongoing siege – the need for justice and peace in the Middle East and the reality that the international community seems unable to insist on this.

After this morning’s assigned work in hospitals and clinics, our group gathered to meet with the Prime Minister of Gaza, Ismail Haniya. The Prime Minister related his hopes for a future of peace and stability for Gaza and for the Middle East.

Questioned about the destruction to the UNWRA Summer Games site and threats on the life of John Ging, (the head of UNRWA) he spoke strongly about his condemnation of the action, about his good relationship with John Ging, his commitment to John Ging’s security and about his determination to discover and prosecute the perpetrators of the recent destruction.

He stated that he has sent three delegations to meet with John Ging: the Deputy Minister of Health, security people and leadership people from Hamas to show solidarity. While the amount of destruction was not large (one tent burned), Haniya wanted us to know that this action of destruction does not reflect the nature of the Palestinian people.

Following our meeting, we traveled to the affected UNRWA site – no one was being allowed to enter – where security guards were present in abundance and photography was not allowed. A demonstration protesting the damage was quietly underway.

At UNRWA headquarters we held a press conference. Dr. Sarraj and David Hall spoke about the imperative need for actions of destruction to end – that the Palestinian leadership must take steps to assure the people of Gaza, Palestine and the world that Gaza will not tolerate such actions.

Half of our delegation then returned to work. There are many opportunities to serve in Gaza – surgically, medically and psychologically – and only one day left in this visit.

The people here are continuously generous and gracious and we were pleased tonight when we celebrated the birthday of Anne Hall, to have new Palestinian friends join our celebration. Happy Birthday Anne!

And then, at the end of the day, we happened to see one of our friends from GCMHP as he was leaving the restaurant of the Marna House where we are staying. With our friend, Husam, was a gentleman who works with environmental issues in Gaza. His specialty is water and we had a conversation about the problems with water and the soil. He related, as we have heard before, that the soil in northern and central Gaza is polluted with nitrites – chiefly due to unprocessed sewage contamination. An increase in cancers is thought to relate to this nitrite pollution. In the southern part of Gaza, chlorides in the soil – coming from sea water incursion into the aquifer – are believed to be causing an increase in kidney problems. This man promised to send us more information on the work his agency is doing to study these problems. He indicated that research is needed – true for all of Gaza as this challenged land, this prison, struggles to survive.

Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility cardiologist makes the rounds with doctors in Gaza

As she did last year, Gerri Haynes has organized a Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility delegation of doctors and other health care providers to work in hospitals and clinics in Gaza in an effort to directly help the people there and to bring attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the Israeli blockade has created. She will be sending back reports from inside the Israeli blockade.

Today’s Blog was written by Bob Haynes who is seeing cardiac patients in Gaza

Cardiac Care rounds at Al Shifa Hospital, the largest (500 beds) Palestinian hospital in the West Bank and Gaza, are similar to those at any U.S. teaching hospital. Sleep-deprived interns present a patient’s history to an entourage of medical students and quizzing professors. The interns respond correctly with answers directly from the Mayo Handbook of Cardiology.

I can participate in this part of rounds because all medical presentations are in English. When a point of contention arises, the discussions are held in Arabic. A poignant part of this exercise is that some of the treatments suggested by the “correct” answers are not available in Gaza.

There is a concrete wall 10 meters high around the land border between Gaza and Israel and a sea embargo enforced by the Israeli navy. Goods not allowed into Gaza by Israel an Egypt include a list of essential medical items.

One decade ago in the U.S., care for an individual experiencing a heart attack changed from dissolving heart vessel clots with medicines to opening clogged arteries with tiny balloons on catheters. Balloon technology for heart attacks is not available in Gaza. These interns are very well versed in the use of the clot-dissolving technique. Their knowledge of this methodology is elegant and complete. These interns are sharp – their knowledge is 2010, but due to available technology, their practice is limited to 1990s.

Today, as I exited the front gate of the hospital, the Call to Prayer issued forth from a speaker mounted on a large tent across a busy street. The tent is a temporary mosque, erected on the site of the Al Shifa Mosque – which was destroyed by bombs from Israeli planes during Operation Cast Lead – 17 months ago. As we listened to the Call, the intern who accompanied me commented that a male nurse had died in the bombing on the exact spot where we stood listening.

Heroes and Families

Many physicians from Gaza leave to train abroad and are not allowed to re-enter Gaza for the six or more years of their training. Some remain abroad. Some heroes choose to return to Gaza to serve the population at home. Family membership provides a sense of meaning and purpose and belonging.

Families are identified with specific areas of Gaza. There are virtually no street names or addresses in this densely populated region. Seeking to find a specific home, the seeker questions local people about a “family” and is directed – or taken – to the correct home. Trust between a doctor and patient is established by identification of family.

Family relationships are deeply respected. A nephew assists his uncle through the clinic bureaucracy. Sons help their mother from her wheelchair to the exam table. Beyond the concern and responsibility all of us might have for our family members, there is an intimate caring and great honoring for the privilege of serving a family member – sandals are removed for the relative, canes are held, dressing and undressing for an examination are completed with quiet tenderness. Nursing homes for adults with living relatives do not exist here. Nearly everyone belongs somewhere to a family.

Despite layers of politics and the suffocating siege, the people of Gaza persevere and even thrive in their own ways on their land in their families.

Guest blog by Gerri Haynes: The strong women of Gaza

As she did last year, Gerri has organized a Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility delegation of doctors and other health care providers to work in hospitals and clinics in Gaza in an effort to directly help the people there and to bring attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the Israeli blockade has created. She will be sending back reports from inside the Israeli blockade.



Over and over again, we hear stories from women who are moving Gaza to strength and healing.

Today, several of our group met with the women of the Al Majd Women’s Center – a Palestinian NGO dedicated to “enhancing women’s role in society development and political participation through capacity building, awareness raising and formation of neighborhood committees.”

We heard the story of Nawal Al Gussen, the Center’s strong and capable director. Nawal is the mother of six and grandmother of eight. Four of her children were born prior to the ten-year imprisonment of her husband. Two children were born to them following his release from prison – these children are still in school.

Prior to imprisonment, her husband was a teacher at the UNWRA school. Since imprisonment, he is in conflict with the government and works at home – taking care of grandchildren, gardening and cooking. Nawal says they support each other – “he completes me and I complete him.”

One of their sons is now in an Israeli prison and her husband cares so much for the children of this son that the children refer to him as Baba (father).

Nawal wants women to be politically independent and strong and her work in the center reflects this desire.

We attended an advocacy training at the Center. One woman after another related the ongoing trauma of their children from their experiences in last year’s war from Israel. Fear remains in these children – fear from bombs destroying their homes, from the death of relatives, from the sound of airplanes.

The women discussed ways they have attempted to help their children cope – some now accompany their children even to the bathroom as the children fear being alone and feel exposed to the dangers of war.

David Hall talked with them about the strength they have in each other – in the group therapy that is present in their work with each other. The women expressed dismay that the world allows Israel’s blatant disregard for the Geneva Accords – and expressed their sadness that the Goldstone report has been disregarded by the international community. We promised to bring their stories back with us to the United States.

This afternoon, the majority of our delegation visited in the home of physician, Suma Baroud, sister of Bothell resident and author, Ramzy Baroud. We took copies of Ramzy’s new book, “My Father Was a Freedom Fighter” to Suma – who has not seen Ramzy for 16 years.

Suma and her husband and five children served a delicious traditional Palestinian lunch, followed by tea in their beautiful garden.

One of the daughters was part of a delegation of Palestinian children to visit the White House in January. Their delegation met Jimmy Carter and Ban Ki Moon in New York. We were delighted to have the opportunity to meet Suma and her family.

Laura Hart, adult urologist, worked in Gaza last fall with the WPSR delegation. She spent two weeks here then and realized that a pediatric urologist could be very helpful – and she was right! Rich Grady, Laura’s husband, is a pediatric urologist.

They have been warmly welcomed and are very busy doing surgical procedures in two Gaza City hospitals. They are spending mornings in Al Shifa Hospital and afternoons and into the late evening, operating in the Public Aid Hospital.

Rich is an international expert in the surgical treatment of bladder exstrophy and, by fortunate coincidence, will be here to care for a new infant with a need for surgical repair of the birth defect – bladder exstrophy. Laura reports that, as in every area of Gaza, new tools are needed but that Gaza’s surgeons are working valiantly and resourcefully with the equipment available and are eager to exchange ideas.

Guest blog by Gerri Haynes: A visit to some of the many tunnels of Gaza

As she did last year, Gerri has organized a Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility delegation of doctors and other health care providers to work in hospitals and clinics in Gaza in an effort to directly help the people there and to bring attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the Israeli blockade has created. She will be sending back reports from inside the Israeli blockade.

And so to the tunnels.

This is Friday, day of worship in the Muslim world. For our group, a day of rest and a time to take a wider look at the country we are visiting.

We traveled in a large bus with our hosts and friends from the northern border with Israel to the southern border with Egypt.

As we traveled, we talked with these wonderful residents of Gaza and listened as they sang the spirited songs of their country. Buildings damaged or destroyed in Operation Cast Lead were visible in abundance in the north.

Along the way, we noted the areas where Israeli settlers once lived. In 2005, approximately 5,000 Israelis were evacuated from Gaza – moved by Israel to different homes in the Occupied Territories and Israel.

We learned that, while all of the settler homes were destroyed by Israel when Israel left Gaza to become an external occupier, several lovely schools and most of their greenhouses were left standing. Rubble from the destroyed houses has been cleared from the settler home sites – in part, at least, to use one day in the construction of a port.

In the south, we drove near the border with Egypt through the area of the tunnels. Today, the tunnels were silent, but we saw many tunnel structures and talked with a man who was doing his shift at a tunnel that brings gasoline from Egypt to Gaza. His tunnel is 15 meters deep – some are much deeper, and some are built over one another (with the occasional result that the tunnels collapse into each other). This man told us that there are hundreds of tunnels – perhaps 500 – but only 50 are now moving material back and forth. Each tunnel costs about $200,000 to construct.

Basic necessities and many other items come through the tunnels: water, cloth, cars, motorcycles, building materials, camels, goats – almost any item that can claim a price. Several times in the last few days, we have seen shiny new cars in Gaza – successful navigators of the tunnels. Even brides have arrived in Gaza through the tunnels – carried sleeping through the underground passage.

While we visited the tunnels, we heard an explosion – we were told this came from the Egyptian side and was probably the destruction of a tunnel – its hiding place found. The tunnels are not legal.

As we traveled north to our hotel in Gaza City, we stopped to enjoy the Mediterranean Sea – with waters too polluted for swimming, the sites and sounds of the sea remain lovely. We shared lunch, games and conversation, then drove along the Sea to stop once more for ice cream and then to say farewell to our hosts.

Tomorrow is another day for work.

Guest blog by Gerri Haynes: Delegates put expertise to good use in besieged Gaza

As she did last year, Gerri has organized a Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility delegation of doctors and other health care providers to work in hospitals and clinics in Gaza in an effort to directly help the people there and to bring attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the Israeli blockade has created. She will be sending back reports from inside the Israeli blockade.



Members of our delegation continue to work in their areas of experience.

Howard Putter has been working with other orthopedic surgeons at Al Shifa Hospital. He has seen traffic trauma (the traffic in Gaza is the stuff of legend – there are no traffic lights for the heavy car and cart traffic and children play in and around the streets) and old war injuries. Attending orthopedists and a resident staff provide care – equipment and supplies are needed, but difficult to get during these years of siege.

David Hall taught an enthusiastically-received class on psychotherapy for psychologists, nurses and social workers this morning at the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme Center http://www.gcmhp.net/. Working through a series of translators, the discussion was spirited.

The level of psychological trauma here makes care giving complicated. Traumatized professionals have to find ways to care for themselves so that they may continue to provide care – this is true in every medical discipline.

We are making some visits with GCMHP staff to private homes.

Today, we visited some members of a family of 16 who live on the fourth floor of a small concrete building – sleeping quarters are under an open tin roof, while the protected living happens in a space about 12×10.

The father of the family – which is composed of brothers and nieces and nephews as well as the wife and children of this father – is a fisherman. He tells us that the only fish in the waters they are permitted to fish (deep water fishing is prohibited by Israel) are very small and the water is sewage-polluted.

He has no income. The family receives food aid in the form of dry staples every three months from UNRWA http://www.unrwa.org/.

Their life is desperate. Still, the children gather and smile their beautiful smiles. Everywhere we go, people express gratitude that people from the United States have not forgotten them.