The head of the American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA) organization recently returned from Gaza with grim stories of the 26-day siege of the blockaded territory by Israeli Defense Forces.
“The stench of sewage is overwhelming — from broken pipes and stagnant pools of wastewater,” ANERA President Bill Corcoran recently told members of the Washington-based Middle East Institute. “The devastation reminded me of a tsunami.”
The siege — which Israel calls Operation Caste Lead and which much of the world simply refers to as the Gaza Massacre — left at least 4,000 homes leveled and 400,000 people without running water.
“Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun were totally destroyed — both the businesses and the residential area, which once had beautiful three-level homes that anyone would have been happy to live in,” said Corcoran. “They had incredible intelligence to destroy the infrastructure as they did.”
Casualty figures in such conflicts vary based on which side is providing the information. The Palestinian Ministry of Health estimated 1,324 casualties, of which “most” were civilian non-combatants. The Palestinian Center for Human Right reported the following casualty figures: 895 non-combatants, 167 members of the Hamas civilian police force and 223 Hamas militants. The IDF claims about 900 Hamas fighters and 300 non-combatants killed. At least 4,000 were injured, leaving many with lifelong disabilities.
Aside from those killed or injured (Israeli says it lost 10 IDF soldiers, three civilians and suffered 182 wounded) what is clear is the tremendous destruction left behind during Israel’s punishing siege against Gaza.
The municipal water systems are greatly damaged, leaving many Gazans dependent on old wells. Crop irrigation is out of the question for most at this time.
“Since the war, no fruits or vegetables are being grown in Gaza, due to the war,” said Corcoran. “Any fruit or vegetable comes in from Israel, and the price is too high for the average family, so children don’t get nutrition.”
The American School, a local hallmark of quality education, is demolished.
“Children were taught English there, got a good education, and many students went on to study abroad. The school created a group of leaders for the future,” said Corcoran.
As for Islamic University, Corcoran — who studied Islamic Studies at the University of Birmingham, UK — said some buildings were destroyed, “but classes are being held in the main building.”
“1948 ALL OVER AGAIN”
“Further north in Gaza City, large numbers of industrial zones were bombed,” Corcoran continued. “The metal workshops there were targets of Israel bombardments, and next to them were carpenters and other shops. They were all destroyed.”
Before the bombings there were eight cement factories in Gaza.
“The Israelis destroyed them all,” he said. “They even ran over the cement trucks to ensure they were totally destroyed. “Most the industrial spine that made up Gaza is destroyed.”
Corcoran said many of the dispossessed Palestinians who lost their homes during the war are now living in tents on their property to ensure Israelis do not confiscate their land.
“Some Palestinians told me they felt this is 1948 all over again,” said Corcoran, referring to when 750,000 Palestinian Arabs fled or were expelled from their land that became Israel in 1949.
Al-Quds hospital is also almost totally destroyed.
“There are three buildings in the compound. The administration building was bombed with phosphorous and nothing remains but rubble, said Corcoran, referring to white phosphorous, an incendiary weapon that is banned for use in densely populated areas by a UN convention that the US has signed but Israel has not. “The top two floors of the hospital building were totally demolished.”
“Dentists in Gaza told us that they have no material, no amalgams, for filing teeth, as it’s not listed as humanitarian aid,” he said.
THE CHILDREN OF GAZA
UNICEF has reported that children are the biggest problem, said Corcoran.
“A year ago they said 60 percent of Gazan children were traumatized by the occupation, now UNICEF’s doctors say all of them — 100 percent — are traumatized.”
He visited one school “where 35 children out of the 85 in the pre-school had lost either a parent or their home in the war.”
“None of the students smiled or laughed (when he and his staff distributed school bags),” he said, “and many were too afraid to come forward to get their gift.”
ANERA delivers $1 million dollars of aid a month in Gaza, he said, but now, aside from the normal hospital supplies, local hospitals are asking for something new: Doctors are requesting “a nasal spray that helps kids from wetting their beds — which has become systematic since the war.”
In addition to the trauma, UNICEF says malnutrition is also a huge problem along with the psycho-social problems children are having there, he said.
“I’m heartened by the amount of money, $900 million, that the US is pledging to the Palestinians. I’m just hopeful that they’re going to use a variety of different channels to implement this money.”
ANERA, with a staff of 20 in Gaza, needs more hands on the ground. ANERA would like to bring in more specialists from Jerusalem and East Jerusalem, but the Israelis won’t let them in. As for staffers on the West Bank, Israel wouldn’t let them in, either, not even before the war.
“WE FEEL INCREASINGLY ISOLATED AND ALONE”
Gazans, he said, have told him that they feel increasingly isolated and alone.
What the Obama administration needs to do is to appoint an aide administrator, as no one is in that seat now, because of the transition period of the new administration.
“That keeps us all waiting until these key positions are filled. Unfortunately, the Gazans can’t wait,” said Corcoran. “We’re in a perfect storm — with the political paralysis in Israel, American and Palestinian governments. The world is in an economic crisis. And the donor community is tired. But how long must the Palestinians wait?”
Regarding Hamas, Corcoran said ANERA “is compliant with the ‘no contact rule; which means we cannot be in contact with them. The only solution is for it to be led by the United Nations.”
He said the Israelis are not the only ones blocking distribution.
“Sometimes the international agencies find it difficult to deliver the food on the ground, as they’re being interfered with by local authorities,” he said, adding that ANERA’s warehouse was raided and materials were seized in Gaza.
He said Hamas tried to insist that ANERA be given prior approval for distribution to families. “It is totally unacceptable to decide who we can distribute aide to,” said Corcoran. “The only entity that approves our partners is the US government. I hope Hamas will not force us to leave.”
Asked what are the three things that America do to help the Palestinian in Gaza right now, Corcoran was clear: Focus on the plight of children; Allow the Gazans to rebuild their own future, or else they will be a welfare culture forever and focus on a viable political solution.
As for donations to Gaza, Corcoran said ANERA has a long, successful history on the ground.
“If you want to send money to Gaza, send it through us because we have the staff on the ground, and we’ve been there 25 years. We’re a known quantity and know all the key players there. We also have the full support of the US government. We are getting food and medicine in on a regular basis.”
And, he said, whenever possible they buy products from the West Bank.
“Our food packets and blankets are bought from Ramallah. This creates jobs for Palestinians on the West Bank.”
With all the headaches and heartaches associated with the job, why did he want this job?
“I’m of Irish background,” said Corcoran. “My grandmother lived under British occupation, and I have a sense of what occupation can do to families and how it affects generation after generation.”
Read more about ANERA at: www.ANERA.org/