Gaza prepares for incursion

Appeal to the world to speak out against an Israeli invasion

International A.N.S.W.E.R.
May 25, 2002

A fact-finding delegation dispatched to the West Bank and Gaza from a delegation including legal and public health experts and human rights activists is investigating the conditions of the Palestinian people living under harsh Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza. The delegation was organized by the International A.N.S.W.E.R. coalition - Act Now to Stop War & End Racism. The delegation will prepare a report describing its findings in the coming weeks.

Because of the imminent danger of a new Israeli invasion into Gaza, the delegation has issued a preliminary report and an appeal to people of conscience to take action aimed at preventing Israeli military action. Given the conditions in Gaza, one of the most densely populated areas of the world, a new Israeli incursion would lead to a major human rights catastrophe, according to the delegates.

Occupied Gaza is under urgent preparations for a possible full-out Israeli attack similar to the Israeli offensive in the West Bank that began on March 30.

The delegation met with doctors, nurses and medical staff of the Union of Health Work Committees on the preparations under way at Al Awda Hospital in Jebalya Camp. The delegation interviewed Dr. Mona Al-Farra of the Union of Health Work Committees and Dr. Abu Sitta.

The doctors detailed the catastrophic outcome of any attack in densely-populated Gaza.

For example, on March 20, Israeli tanks indiscriminately opened fire into homes in Jebalya Camp, leaving 22 Palestinians dead and 83 injured in a matter of minutes. Earlier, on February 29, an Israeli missile killed two children and injured twelve more children with flying shrapnel in an operation aimed at assassinating a Palestinian resistance leader. Doctors at Al Aqsa hospital report the use of nail-filled cluster-type bombs, weapons that maim and kill indiscriminately, the use of which constitute war crimes. The evidence, consisting of scores of nails recovered from victims' bodies, has been transferred to the International Red Cross as evidence.

Given the density of the population, any military operation will inevitably lead to a large number of indiscriminate civilian casualties.

The Gaza Strip is a narrow, sandy strip thirty miles long, totally surrounded on all sides and walled off by the Israeli military and segmented into separate sections. Even fishing boats are restricted to an area close to the shoreline.

Over 1 million Palestinians are crammed into 60 percent of this tiny area while 6,000 Israeli settlers and Israeli military acting as their private security force have confiscated and currently occupy over 40 percent of the Gaza Strip. In the past year and a half, since the second Intifada--or Palestinian uprising, known as the Al Aqsa Intifada--began in September 2000, this occupation has intensified.

Thousands of trees, date palms, orange groves, olive trees and strawberry fields have been uprooted on every roadside and in huge swaths surrounding every Israeli settlement. The road from Erez crossing into Gaza that extends all the way to the far tip of Gaza in Rafah, now takes many hours or even days--in the past people could make the trip in thirty-five minutes.

In Jebalya Camp, over 120,000 people are packed into two square kilometers. In 1972, under Ariel Sharon's direction, Israeli Defense Forces drove tanks into the tiny narrow streets of Jebalya, crushing homes and bulldozing twelve wide avenues--known here as "Sharon Boulevards"--to make it more convenient for armored tanks to attack the centers of the population. Over 5,000 were rendered homeless by this action.

Already many lessons from the experiences of the Israeli offensive in the West Bank have been absorbed here.

In the recent West Bank invasions, the Israeli army has blockaded hospitals, shot at ambulances and denied the inured access to desperately needed medical treatment. This has caused many people to bleed to death--just blocks from hospitals that were surrounded and off limits. According to Palestinian sources, including the Palestine Red Crescent Society, during the Al Aqsa Intifada the Israeli forces have killed four ambulance drivers, partially or wholly destroyed 165 Palestinian ambulances, and denied ambulances access to the injured and killed on 350 occasions (figures accurate through April 21, 2002).

Now, the Palestinian people, in preparation for an anticipated Israeli attack, adapting to these Israeli war crimes and unconscionable tactics, have established emergency field units at points throughout the refugee camps on the Gaza Strip.

Trained first aid teams and medics are being organized in every neighborhood. They have been equipped with small resuscitation devices and reserve units of basic fluids. More than 250 medical kits for health care professionals have been distributed and 500 emergency first aid kits. More than 350 young people have recently taken emergency first aid training. Doctors are sleeping in the hospitals rather than going home so they will not be blocked from the hospital.

Pregnant women in the third trimester have been given birth delivery kits prepared by the maternity department that provide 10 step advise if women can not get past checkpoints as they go into labor.

The high level of organization by these dedicated health providers are an important part of combating a feeling of helplessness in the face of overwhelming violence. It is intended to empower people, help in creating a higher level of organization and social cohesion.

Over 160 doctors, nurses and paramedics have been killed or wounded during this Intifada because they are usually in the front lines during emergencies.

Although the Union of Health Work Committees attempted to purchase bullet proof vests and helmets--such as all Israeli forces and settlers routinely wear--Israel denied them the right to buy this safety equipment for use in combat zones.

The delegation noted the disastrous human rights effect of the Israeli checkpoint that cuts off the southern section of Gaza Strip, blocking Khan Younis and Rafah. There, thousands of people and a line of cars stretching over a mile had been waiting in the sun for nine hours to cross into Khan Younis. Among those stopped at the checkpoint were sick people waiting to see doctors, as well as others attempting to reach their place of work. Also caught in the bottleneck were people attempting to deliver food and medicine. A coordinator of food delivery explained that the Israelis have drastically cut the food coming into Gaza, making it difficult for people to stockpile emergency supplies.

The fact-finding delegation also traveled to Bethlehem and visited the Church of the Nativity, recently under siege for 40 days. The church is now open, but the area is still completely surrounded by Israeli military forces.

The A.N.S.W.E.R. fact-finding delegation will give direct testimony on the findings of its trip at the June 1 Emergency National Anti-War Conference. For more details about this conference, go to http://www.internationalanswer.org .

The delegation includes Richard Becker, West Coast Coordinator of the International Action Center and member of the A.N.S.W.E.R. coalition steering committee; Carl Messineo, attorney and co-founder of the Partnership for Civil Justice and member of the A.N.S.W.E.R. coalition steering committee; Sara Flounders, Co-Director of the International Action Center; Dr. Hillel Cohen, doctor of public health and epidemiologist and delegate of 1199 National Health and Human Services Employees Union.

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