Rushed Transcript:
Heba does not want to be here. But like half the population of Gaza, venturing out to get UN food aid, she has little choice. Israel’s blockade has stopped food distribution for 2 weeks…now its war has forced Gazans to choose between going hungry or risking their lives to find something to eat.
We met Heba in the queue waiting to collect a food ration for her 15 brothers and sisters… we followed her home to the Shat’I refugee camp.
For the past 6 days the family have not left their house…which is within target range of Israel’s warships.
The 7 children who live here cant sleep at night…
MOREB SOT
“The sounds we hear are incredible. They are hitting us, normal people, with F16 planes! A person who does that is not a human being. Refugee camps are hit all the time, we are flesh and bone we cannot stand that. The walls, look at the walls, they shake like there's an earthquake, they cant stand that either.”
Heba showed me around her home…and explained what life has been like being trapped inside here for 6 days…
HEBA SOT
“We don’t have water, we cant wash anything, not even clean the fish we managed to get days ago. Look here.. this is shrapnel from an Israeli missile that fell nearby…it broke the window. The Israelis claim they are not harming civilians or their homes. That Hamas is bearing the brunt of this war. Well what does this look like to you?”
I asked her if she blames Hamas for what’s happening…
HEBA SOT
“No, from the day I was born I have seen missiles and attacks in Gaza- with or without Hamas Israel punishes us. It’s the same story over and over again whoever is in control here.”
All over Heba’s home is evidence of Israel’s continuing assault…. and the effects on those they insist are not their targets…
But there is evidence here too of resilience …a family sticking together through times of hunger and now through days of war…both imposed by Israel.
In the hour we spent with Heba we heard 4 rounds of Israeli warships firing onto Gaza…as we said good bye, the sounds of the fighter jets hovering above got louder and she said she had a bad feeling. Minutes after we left the Israeli military rang the home, warning the family to evacuate….the next round of fire was coming.
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