The Unbiassed Media

Bombs rain on Gaza, the youth throw stones, the Israeli soldiers killed
or maim stone throwers, a dance of death.
What do the leading media say? Not very much,
the Gazans must be partly blamed; the victims are guilty
of the strength of being Palestinians defending their right.
In Hebron, the settlers are razing houses, killing goats and setting fire
to olive trees and daily is the death of those who get in their way.
The media might have a byline about it, that’s all.
If Israel is criticized, it unashamedly invokes the sacred Holocaust
and calls us antisemitic
Should a Jew speak up, he/her is called a self-hater
and be banned from entering the stolen land of Israel forever.

Tonight the air feels very cold.
I'm sitting alone at the terrace of an old cafe.
Drinking coffee while opening my Tiktok account.
As usual I see posts from Gazans.
Various videos about their daily lives amidst the long chaos.

Half an hour ago Fadi uploaded his video.
He was busy with his friends who were members of the volunteer team.
They were installing tents , toilets and solar panels for the refugees in Al Mawasi.
People were happy to see the results of their work.

An hour ago Dahlan uploaded his video.
He held a cartoon movie watching event with his friends who were members of the volunteer team.
The children looked happy watching cartoon movie in a big tent.
They also got pizzas and popcorns to eat while watching cartoon.

Two hours ago Ashraf the electrical engineer uploaded his video.
He looked enthusiastic about making various electronic items.
Table lamp , phone charger , fan and mini refrigerator.
All of which he made with scrap materials he found.

Three hours ago Mousa the civil rescuer uploaded his video.
He felt hopeless couldn't save people who were crushed by building rubble.
They were moaning in pain waiting to die.
While Mousa just cried and couldn't do anything because of limited equipment.

Four hours ago Youmna the journalist uploaded her video.
She was meeting some displaced children.
They were wandering around the street picking up leftover food from the trash.
Also drinking ***** water from the gutter.

Five hours ago Doctor Ayas uploaded his video.
He was crying sadly when he saw premature babies who had died in incubators.
Since two weeks ago he and all the medical staffs were forced to leave Al Awda Hospital.
In the end the premature babies died with no one to take care of them.

Six hours ago Hamada the strange chef uploaded his video.
He looked enthusiastic about making chocolate croissant cakes.
After baking all the cakes were distributed to children in refugee camps.
They all ate the cakes with great joy.

Seven hours ago Hind the journalist uploaded her video.
She was covering the news at Al Aqsa hospital.
Many people and children were seriously injured.
Their legs and arms were amputated.

Eight hours ago Samih the oud player uploaded his video.
He was singing while playing his oud guitar.
While his friends were wearing keffiyehs and enthusiastically dancing dabke.
Entertaining people and children in refugee camps.

Nine hours ago Bisan the journalist uploaded her video.
She was visiting a refugee camp in Al Maghazi.
Many tents were destroyed and burnt out.
hit by jet bombardment last night.

Ten hours ago Abdallah the animal rescuer uploaded his video.
He was feeding many stray cats he found.
He was also caring for a cat that was seriously injured.
Hit by fragments of an exploding missile.

Eleven hours ago Omar the tailor uploaded his video.
He was sewing clothes for a little girl.
The clothes were made from thin blanket.
Because the girl's mother didn't have money to buy clothes or fabric.

Twelve hours ago Fatema uploaded her video.
She was teaching to memorize the Quran with her friends.
The children looked enthusiastic about reading verses of the Quran while sitting in a circle on the carpet.
Their voices sounded melodious.

Thirteen hours ago Doctor Mohammed uploaded his video.
he was exhausted taking care of injured people and children in Kamal Adwan hospital.
While only a small supply of medicine remained.
The fuel for the generator was also running out.

Fourteen hours ago Firaz uploaded his video.
He visited the refugee camp in Al Bureij with his friends who were members of the volunteer team.
They seemed enthusiastic about distributing various children's items for winter.
Jackets , sweaters , scarves , shoes and thick blankets.

Fifteen hours ago Tito the clown uploaded his video.
He was dancing and doing acrobatics using his long legs.
While the children who saw him were very happy.
They felt entertained by Tito's energetic attractions.

Sixteen hours ago Hassan the lecturer uploaded his video.
In the tent he was trying to lecture online.
While the wifi was very slow and the laptop battery was almost dead.
But he didn't want to give up.

That's how they go through day after day in Gaza.
I'm tired of seeing the long chaos in Gaza that continues every day without stopping.
What I can do is comment words of encouragement to them.
So that they don't feel abandoned by the world.
And they still have fighting spirit to get through the hard , tiring and dangerous days.


December 2024

By Alvian Eleven

This afternoon the weather is light rain.
I'm sitting alone at a bus stop on the side of the road.
Smoking a cigarette while opening my Tiktok account.
As usual I see posts from Gazans.
Various videos about their daily lives amidst the long chaos.

Half an hour ago Nour the journalist uploaded the video.
She saw a group of young people who looked enthusiastic.
They were doing parkour jumping over the rubbles of a building.
Then they were waving the Palestinian flag on a roof that was almost collapsing.

An hour ago Jumana uploaded her video.
She was sitting in her tent with her small children.
While crying she told about her husband who had just been shot dead by a quadcopter.
Without her husband life felt more difficult.

Two hours ago Yazan had just uploaded his video.
He was walking around Al Zaytoun with his friend.
Then he saw a man riding a donkey cart.
But in the cart there were several children's corpses covered in blood.

Three hours ago Mosab the mural painter uploaded his video.
He brought lots of paint and equipment.
He enthusiastically painted on the ruin of a wide wall.
What he painted was a picture of Handala eating watermelon.

Four hours ago Naji the taxi driver in Gaza City uploaded his video.
He was driving his car slowly around Al Rimal to Tel El Hawa.
He was sad to see the whole city destroyed.
Nothing was left but rubbles everywhere.

Five hours ago Nofal the journalist in Shujaiya uploaded his video.
He conducted an interview with a man who had just been released from prison.
His body was thin and covered in wounds.
His face looked traumatized and full of fear.

Six hours ago Israa the elementary school teacher uploaded a video.
She and her friends opened a tent school for children at the Al Bureij refugee camp.
The children also received bags , shoes , stationery , notebooks , drawing books and snacks.
They were happy to be able to learn while playing.

Seven hours ago Abdullah the farmer in Khan Yunis uploaded his video.
He sneaked back into his family's olive grove which had been burned down.
But he was still able to get a harvest even if it was only a sack.
Enough for the people in the refugee camp to share.

Eight hours ago Anas the journalist uploaded his video.
He was covering the news in a house that was destroyed by bombardment in Jabalia.
While the civil rescue team was trying to save children who were hit by the rubble.
They were seriously injured and covered in blood.

Nine hours ago Motasem the journalist uploaded his video.
He found several corpses lying on the street of Al Mawasi.
While stray dogs gathered and eating the corpses.
Until only bones were left.

Ten hours ago Said uploaded his video.
He was cooking lentil soup in a big ***.
After that he distributed it to the children.
They all ate while laughing happily.

Eleven hours ago Mohammed uploaded his video.
He was sitting with his cat named Leo. Mohammed complained that he was hungry and had no money to buy food.
He also complained about not being able to give food to Leo.

Twelve hours ago Hossam the journalist uploaded his video.
He was visiting a refugee camp in Beit Lahia.
There were many children who were skinny because of hunger.
Also children whose skin was itchy due to infection.

Thirteen hours ago Faiz the journalist uploaded his video.
He was seeing several bodies of people lying on Salahadin street.
Those people died by quadcopter fire.
While a car was burned by a drone bomb.

Fourteen hours ago Mariam uploaded her video.
She was queuing at the bakery in Deir El Balah.
There were so many people queuing until it was crowded.
Meanwhile she complained of being tired because she had been queuing for too long.

Fifteen hours ago Mona uploaded her video.
She was busy with her friends who were members of the volunteer team.
They distributed lots of necessary items to people who had taken refuge in the tents.
Soaps , shampoos , baby milks , diapers and sanitary pads.

Sixteen hours ago Zinah uploaded her video.
She complained of being tired because her tent was flooded with rainwater.
The carpet , mattress and belongings were all wet.
While the heavy rain didn't stop soon.

That's how they go through day after day in Gaza.
I'm tired of seeing the long chaos in Gaza that continues every day without stopping.
What I can do is comment words of encouragement to them.
So that they don't feel abandoned by the world.
And they still have fighting spirit to get through the hard , tiring and dangerous days.


December 2024

By Alvian Eleven