Bits and pieces of conversations I had today with loved ones in Gaza.

“The children are good, they laugh and play as if nothing is happening outside,” said the mother of ten. “They have seen four wars waged against them here, they’ve gotten used to it.”
[no child should have to live being used to this violence]

“They bombed the cemetery where my father is buried, even the dead aren’t left in peace in Gaza.”
[those bastards bombed a cemetery, a place where most of those buried there died because of the siege and other military violence against them, they killed them TWICE]

“I was outside,” says the wittiest seven year-old I’ve ever met.

Don’t go outside, stay inside…why would you go outside?

“To watch the bombing,” he replies in a matter of fact way.
how do I reply to that? which children do you know watch the bombing of their neighborhood as if it were fireworks? fml

“When we hear your voices from outside of here and see your face, you give us hope.”
HOPE, she says to me. and I want to crawl into a cave and die as I feel as though my hands are tied behind my back

THEY give me strength, their bravery and humanity is beyond any I have ever witnessed.

Still no electricity or water, how will I call if the cell phone can’t be charged and there is no power to run the computer for a Skype session…?!?!?!?!