Life and Death in Gaza

by Tony Davies

1 December 2002

A funeral cortege passed as I left Gaza City to move down to Khan Yunis. Last night the Israeli army destroyed three houses to the north east of the city, injured 20 people and killed two. According to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, the body of one of the victims, a 70-year-old man who was deaf, was discovered among the ruins of his house. The other victim was shot dead for no apparent reason while travelling home in his car. One of the destroyed houses was of five storeys, accommodating five families totalling 60 people of whom 35 were children. They are now in tents. 60 tanks were used in the incursion.

2 December 2002

A noisy night in Khan Yunis, with intermittent automatic weapon fire throughout the hours of darkness. What is the army trying to do? The attacks and gunfire to which Palestinians are subjected day after day, month after month, are a terror tactic much more damaging than anything that Israelis have to suffer.

3 December 2002

It is very bad that the Israeli army has entered Jabaliya Camp in Gaza City and destroyed a warehouse containing 500 tonnes of food for 47,000 Palestinians. BBC World Service reports that the army refused a request that the food should be salvaged before the building was destroyed. Malnutrition is increasing in the Occupied Territories. There is no doubt that, but for the food being supplied by the UN agency, UNWRA, many Palestinians would be dying of starvation. Last month the agency reported that 22 per cent of Palestinian children are suffering from acute or chronic malnutrition for man-made reasons. "The destruction of the Palestinian economy by Israel's closures policy has had the effect of a terrible natural disaster."

December 2002

10.30pm A spotter aircraft has been droning over Khan Yunis for some time - it was with helicopters last night when they flew over the town for half an hour and fired at something near where I am staying. After a period of fairly heavy gunfire, there is the sound of helicopters in the distance. Maybe they are going for something in Rafah.

ecember 2002

When I left a computer caf