22 Days in Gaza

Dr Jom'a El Jazzar's Report

"The conflict started with concentrated air strikes at 11:30 am on the 27th December. For 22 days there was continuous air, artillery and naval bombardment throughout the day and night... There were many casualties."

On the 8th day the land offensive started. Although people were fleeing their homes, many perished. Bombardment inside the populated areas destroyed almost all government and police buildings. Also targeted were schools, universities, UNRWA headquarters, mosques, health centers, hospitals and petrol stations. Most of the time there was no electricity and no cooking gas. We used kerosene for cooking and lighting purposes. We had to open widows day and night in the cold weather as explosions shattered the window glass. When white phosphorus bombs emitting poisonous fumes were used, we were forced to close the windows, keep a damp cloth ready to breath through and prepare buckets full of sand to extinguish burning phosphorus...

There are now 35,000 displaced people living in schools as their homes are destroyed. A grave-yard near my home was hit by F16 and phosphorus bombs, unearthing the newly buried dead as well as the bones of those long-gone. There are many heart breaking stories.

"For 22 days of war I wondered at the point of it all. I could not see any logical purpose to any of it. It only resulted in huge misery, killing and injuring many, the vast majority of them innocent civilians, women and children." Dr. Jom'a El Jazzar