[News] Jabalia: "Hamdillah Assalama"

[News at freedomarchives.org]

Jabalia: "Hamdillah Assalama"
   By Sami Abu Salem
Palestine News Agency


JABALIA REFUGEE CAMP, (Gaza), October 13, 2004, (WAFA)- "Hamdillah Assalama 
[thank God for your safety]" the residents of Jabalia Refugee Camp repeat 
all the day when they meet each other in the dusty roads and lanes of the camp.

Groups of people paying visits of condolences at tens of condolence tents 
scattered in the camp. Such view exactly similar to the groups of peoples 
who celebrate and congratulate each others in the Eid al-Fitr (one of the 
two main feasts for Moslems).

Sand mixed with the ash of the wheels scattered in roads of the camp.
Every night, the residents fire the elastic wheels to make heavy smoke to 
jam the signals of the Israeli drones occupying the sky.

In each street you turn your eyes you are obliged to see coloured flags 
over the houses of martyrs. Neighbours and volunteers receive "guests" on 
behalf of the families of the victims.

Shoes and the lower tips of trousers were so dirty because of the ash of 
the burned wheels. Most of condolers carry small radios in their pockets to 
follow the latest (developments) of the Israeli attack through the 
competent local stations. Some local journalists met us, they were so 
enthusiastic to say "Hamdillah Assalamah".

We headed to the tent of Ibrahim Hamdan 50, who was killed when an Israeli 
drone struck him with a rocket near his house in the neighbourhood of Tal 
al-Zatar, east of Jabalia Camp. Two other cousins from Afana family were 
killed and five citizens wounded in the same strike. The family of Hamdan 
could not set the tent of condolence near his house (Palestinian tradition) 
as they were afraid of the drone shooting again. Relatives and friends of 
Hamdan set the tent in a "safer" place in the heart of the camp.

Hundreds of plastic chairs crammed under the tent were filled with 
mourners. We had a small cup of Arab coffee and a date (Arab tradition), 
then headed to tens others.

We deliberately used alleys to avoid the endless indiscriminate Israeli 
gunshots. The residents of the camp covered the narrow alleys with 
pavilions in an attempt to hide their movement from the drones. Two women 
were sharing stretching pieces of canvas to cover the alley near their 
houses with asbestos ceiling , while some people were busy in 
reconstructing their houses preparing for the coming winter.

"Hamdillah Assalama", was repeated thousands times by people who meet 
inside the narrow lanes of the camp. A very fat man was so ashamed because 
he caused a traffic jam, he edged to a wall, and our clothes scratched the 
opposite one.

Pictures of the victims were stuck to the walls. Children were pointing at 
tens of their classmates. The names of the victims were written in bold 
coloured graphite.

Walid Abu Sharar 14, was staring at the picture of his classmate Suleiman 
Abu Foul who was killed when an Israeli tank struck him with a rocket.

"You see, this is the picture of my classmate, his body was pulled to 
pieces when the tank bombarded him," Walid said, "they are criminals; why 
do they kill us; I do not know".

Walid added that he spends the nights sleepless because of the horror of 
unremitting Israeli shelling.

"Every night I cannot sleep, I cannot read, I cannot do anything. The sound 
of the gunshots and bombardment involve me in horrible atmosphere, so I 
become so eager for the morning," he added.

Walid, and hundreds of other students, do not go to school nowadays because 
the Israeli tanks are positioned near his school.

In the first day of the aggression, an Israeli tank hit the wall of the 
UNRWA's preparatory school and shot a missile at a group of residents, 
killing and wounding scores.

Ambulances parked in different corners in the camp, "waiting" to evacuate 
expected victims. The drivers were on a "stand-by" case, waiting for a 
message through the radio.

Mohammed Saad Al-deen was crossing his hand into his back and walking near 
the closed market. His kids were following him up.

"Hamdilla Assalama," I said to him and asked him if his family and his 
house are O.K.

"My children are still alive, but I do not know what happened to my home. I 
fled it; we sleep at my brother's house," said Saad Al-deen, who lives in 
the northern tip of the camp.

Tens of families, at the northern and eastern ends of the camp have left 
their houses. They have moved to their relatives or friends' homes for 
temporary accommodation.

At least fifty houses, kindergartens, and stores were completely or 
partially destroyed by Israeli tanks and bulldozers during the attack.

Beneath the garage of the camp, an anxious man (from Filfil family) was 
trying to start a car. Following the exchange of "Hamdilla Assalama" he 
said that he is going to the hospital to visit his cousins.

The night before, an Israeli missile penetrated the window of Ghazi Filfil 
49, while his children were asleep.

All the members of the family, including the 2 year-old girl Wissal, were 
carried to hospital. Wissal is still receiving treatment at Shifa Hospital 
of Gaza. "Hamdillah Assalama" Wissal.

(11:46 P) (09:46 GMT)

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