On Tuesday 15 May, Palestinians in Gaza were supposed to commemorate the 59th anniversary of Al-Nakbah - "the uprooting of the Palestinian people from their homeland" - or Catastrophe, referring to events in 1948 when Israel was declared on 78% of historic Palestine and its people were forced to leave their homes.
The ceremonies were cancelled due to the bloody internal fighting in Gaza between the two major factions, Fatah and Hamas.
Violence escalated to a peak in the past two days, especially in Gaza City, as 32 Palestinians were killed and dozens of others wounded. Thus, the number of Palestinians killed since the beginning of this latest wave of violence mounted to 38, in addition to dozens of others who were wounded. The casualties included several civilians, including women and children.
This is the second round of factional fighting after an agreement was brokered on 8 February in the holy city of Mecca.
"The second Nakba"
On Wednesday, 16 May, Gaza witnessed the fiercest hostilities in months. Gaza City became a ghost city; most people stayed at home; masked gunmen roamed the streets stopping and searching cars; road blocks were erected. Militants from the two sides took up positions in civilian populated areas and exchanged fire. They also seized control of a number of high-rise apartment buildings and used them as sniper bases. The two movements also carried out several mutual kidnappings, most of which ended with firing at the hostages after releasing them. Radio and TV stations belonging to both factions exchanged accusations and armed clashes erupted near a building housing several press offices. Several journalists were trapped in their offices, especially the offices of Al-Jazeera Satellite Channel and Ramattan News Agency, for more than two hours, and their lives were endangered. Some people called this infighting, "The second catastrophe".
Thursday witnessed a cautious ceasefire after Hamas declared a unilateral ceasefire and President Abbas called for calm.
Gaza in a state of panic
A senior Palestinian official said President Mahmoud Abbas postponed a planned visit to Gaza that was aimed at easing tensions between the factions and at trying to shore up a shaky ceasefire; the visit was called off due to an Israeli air strike that targeted the Executive Force compound in Gaza City. The strike on the three-storey building resulted in the killing of two Executive Force members and the injury of more than 30 others, in addition to much damage to surrounding houses. Hundreds of people rushed to the site to rescue the wounded.
This air strike was followed by four other Israeli air strikes which targeted three cars carrying Hamas activists and one other air strike targeting the bodyguards of the interior ministry spokesman, Khalid Abu Hilal. Israel says the strikes are in response to the firing of homemade rockets into Israel; however, the Executive Force has never claimed responsibility for firing rockets but, nevertheless, Israel considers this force to be part of Hamas' armed wing since it was established by the former Hamas interior minister, Said Siyam.
Meanwhile, Israel is amassing its forces, including tanks and bulldozers, near the border, in apparent preparation for a ground incursion.
I spoke to some Gaza residents on the 4th day of the fiercest factional fighting:
"Israel is the main challenge"
Abu Mustafa said: "Israel is playing in troubled water; it does not like to see a ceasefire between the factions and wants to drag the region into a state of instability. It is a shame that Palestinians are fighting each other but we hope they will be united after the Israeli deadly missile strikes today; the Israeli occupation remains the main challenge for all factions."
"The US should send medicines not arms"
"Israel is trying to take advantage of this infighting", Nemer, 34, warned. "The international community must act and intervene, and stop the aggression, and end the brutal siege. They should ease the living conditions of Palestinians and improve the economy in Gaza so that the young guys who join the factions in order to be paid so that they can support their families get a better chance for an education and for a better future. The US should send medicines to the Palestinian people instead of sending arms to President Abbas so that he may defeat Hamas. The American administration's plot is unfolding; it aims to undermine the Unity Government at any price, even if it is going to lead to a civil war."
"An absence of law"
Um Mustafa, 48, said: "It's very sad to see Palestinians kill each. It is a shame. Both factions are fighting for authority and they do not care about the ordinary people. This chaos and lawlessness is due to the absence of law, and to enforce the law you need tools and money to pay the security men. Our life is paralyzed because of the siege and Israel is to blame for weakening the Palestinian Authority - "Fatah" - by bombing and shelling the security compounds and positions at the beginning of the Al-Aqsa Intifada; this was Sharon's idea which indeed succeeded in making Hamas' power equal to that of Fatah so that both factions fight each other and struggle for power."
"Black days"
"These days are black days in our history," Redwan, 29, said. "Blood has been shed by Palestinian hands who are fighting over authority and the Israelis are enjoying killing us collectively with their missiles; they are preparing for incursions. Their noisy crows [drones] are nesting in the skies of Gaza looking for prey; mourning tents and funerals are in every street of Gaza. Both factions are big headed; they must wake up and work for the interests of the Palestinians. Enough is enough! Palestinians must confront the Israeli enemy and the international community must also intervene to end the 40 years of occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank; we are being crushed by the internal feuding and the continued suffering because of the siege and collapsed economy; mothers have shed tears and the future of Gaza is still vague."
Gaza is burning and drowning in a sea of black blood.
Yousef Alhelou
Yousef Alhelou is a freelance Palestinian journalist based in Gaza, and a contributor to several media outlets. He also presents Gaza's only live English program across radio stations in the Gaza Strip. He can be contacted at ydamadan@hotmail.com
The ceremonies were cancelled due to the bloody internal fighting in Gaza between the two major factions, Fatah and Hamas.
Violence escalated to a peak in the past two days, especially in Gaza City, as 32 Palestinians were killed and dozens of others wounded. Thus, the number of Palestinians killed since the beginning of this latest wave of violence mounted to 38, in addition to dozens of others who were wounded. The casualties included several civilians, including women and children.
This is the second round of factional fighting after an agreement was brokered on 8 February in the holy city of Mecca.
"The second Nakba"
On Wednesday, 16 May, Gaza witnessed the fiercest hostilities in months. Gaza City became a ghost city; most people stayed at home; masked gunmen roamed the streets stopping and searching cars; road blocks were erected. Militants from the two sides took up positions in civilian populated areas and exchanged fire. They also seized control of a number of high-rise apartment buildings and used them as sniper bases. The two movements also carried out several mutual kidnappings, most of which ended with firing at the hostages after releasing them. Radio and TV stations belonging to both factions exchanged accusations and armed clashes erupted near a building housing several press offices. Several journalists were trapped in their offices, especially the offices of Al-Jazeera Satellite Channel and Ramattan News Agency, for more than two hours, and their lives were endangered. Some people called this infighting, "The second catastrophe".
Thursday witnessed a cautious ceasefire after Hamas declared a unilateral ceasefire and President Abbas called for calm.
Gaza in a state of panic
A senior Palestinian official said President Mahmoud Abbas postponed a planned visit to Gaza that was aimed at easing tensions between the factions and at trying to shore up a shaky ceasefire; the visit was called off due to an Israeli air strike that targeted the Executive Force compound in Gaza City. The strike on the three-storey building resulted in the killing of two Executive Force members and the injury of more than 30 others, in addition to much damage to surrounding houses. Hundreds of people rushed to the site to rescue the wounded.
This air strike was followed by four other Israeli air strikes which targeted three cars carrying Hamas activists and one other air strike targeting the bodyguards of the interior ministry spokesman, Khalid Abu Hilal. Israel says the strikes are in response to the firing of homemade rockets into Israel; however, the Executive Force has never claimed responsibility for firing rockets but, nevertheless, Israel considers this force to be part of Hamas' armed wing since it was established by the former Hamas interior minister, Said Siyam.
Meanwhile, Israel is amassing its forces, including tanks and bulldozers, near the border, in apparent preparation for a ground incursion.
I spoke to some Gaza residents on the 4th day of the fiercest factional fighting:
"Israel is the main challenge"
Abu Mustafa said: "Israel is playing in troubled water; it does not like to see a ceasefire between the factions and wants to drag the region into a state of instability. It is a shame that Palestinians are fighting each other but we hope they will be united after the Israeli deadly missile strikes today; the Israeli occupation remains the main challenge for all factions."
"The US should send medicines not arms"
"Israel is trying to take advantage of this infighting", Nemer, 34, warned. "The international community must act and intervene, and stop the aggression, and end the brutal siege. They should ease the living conditions of Palestinians and improve the economy in Gaza so that the young guys who join the factions in order to be paid so that they can support their families get a better chance for an education and for a better future. The US should send medicines to the Palestinian people instead of sending arms to President Abbas so that he may defeat Hamas. The American administration's plot is unfolding; it aims to undermine the Unity Government at any price, even if it is going to lead to a civil war."
"An absence of law"
Um Mustafa, 48, said: "It's very sad to see Palestinians kill each. It is a shame. Both factions are fighting for authority and they do not care about the ordinary people. This chaos and lawlessness is due to the absence of law, and to enforce the law you need tools and money to pay the security men. Our life is paralyzed because of the siege and Israel is to blame for weakening the Palestinian Authority - "Fatah" - by bombing and shelling the security compounds and positions at the beginning of the Al-Aqsa Intifada; this was Sharon's idea which indeed succeeded in making Hamas' power equal to that of Fatah so that both factions fight each other and struggle for power."
"Black days"
"These days are black days in our history," Redwan, 29, said. "Blood has been shed by Palestinian hands who are fighting over authority and the Israelis are enjoying killing us collectively with their missiles; they are preparing for incursions. Their noisy crows [drones] are nesting in the skies of Gaza looking for prey; mourning tents and funerals are in every street of Gaza. Both factions are big headed; they must wake up and work for the interests of the Palestinians. Enough is enough! Palestinians must confront the Israeli enemy and the international community must also intervene to end the 40 years of occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank; we are being crushed by the internal feuding and the continued suffering because of the siege and collapsed economy; mothers have shed tears and the future of Gaza is still vague."
Gaza is burning and drowning in a sea of black blood.
Yousef Alhelou
Yousef Alhelou is a freelance Palestinian journalist based in Gaza, and a contributor to several media outlets. He also presents Gaza's only live English program across radio stations in the Gaza Strip. He can be contacted at ydamadan@hotmail.com