Looking for Trouble

Touring Gaza City, by Gerri Haynes

(Gerri Haynes and Laura Hart, of Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility, have returned to Gaza, taking in medicine. Gerri will be sending back reports.)

This morning, our friend Marwan took Laura and me on a tour of the damaged areas in Gaza City. It is stunning to realize how tightly packed the areas are where buildings and apartments were destroyed. Schools were badly damaged. Empty lots close to apartment buildings were repeatedly bombed. The top floor apartment of one building was destroyed – we tried to imagine the terror of the other people in the building as that destruction occurred.

One car holding two young men was targeted – they were both killed. The car now sits in the lot adjacent to their home and their mother is said to visit the car each day.

The death of 172 people and the injury of thousands left this community once again shocked and terrified – even though the truce holds, there is the feeling of extreme danger that the bombing could begin again at any time. We hear again and again, “To survive the war is a victory.”

We have talked with many people about how they helped themselves and their children to cope during the bombing. Some people used their voices to make loud sounds, some people huddled together in rooms that seemed the strongest, and some people left their homes in areas that felt more at risk and went to relatives – only to have the areas of their relatives targeted. A teacher told us that one of the most intelligent children in her class returned to school after the truce and seemed unable to talk – holding himself and being isolated. This teacher is creative in helping her students cope with what they have experienced…psychodrama, drawing, verbal expression…but the constant threat of more attacks makes healing difficult.

Yesterday afternoon, we met with the Director from the Ministry of Health who is responsible for organizing international medical delegations. He spoke of the growing medical program in Gaza – they now have 164 candidates for advanced medical specialty training and are seeking host medical communities to offer short sabbatical training for some of their specialty physicians. In preparation for WPSR’s next medical delegation, he listed several medical specialties that would be most helpful for providing direct care and for teaching. Since movement in and out of Gaza is difficult, bringing physicians here to assist with patient diagnosis and care is needed.

This afternoon, we will meet again with Dr. Sarraj, founder of the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme.