Thursday: Gaza & Coffee Shop Questions

And the questions were:
Why did you worry about getting into Gaza? Rafah, the border crossing between Egypt and Gaza, is basically closed. Egypt allows few people to enter Gaza from Egypt and allows few people to enter Egypt from Gaza. How the decision is made, determining I may cross and you can't is pretty much a mystery. Passports and visas are basic.....I'm not certain what "having your papers in order" includes. Ours were, though we had been warned they weren't.
Do they let groups enter? Our group was the first group allowed into Gaza on their first try. A Canadian group went in with us, having tried four times before. Egypt has the final say and it's arbitrary. Some humanitarian groups are forced to return home without going to Gaza.
Isn't Gaza dangerous? Not the Gaza we visited. It's a civilized place, crowded but pleasant. Women rarely travel alone, especially after dark, but that's cultural. I never witnessed any harassment, altercations or the type problems you expect to encounter in a city or heavily populated area. And Gaza's million and a half people are squashed into 145 square miles.
What about Hamas? The Hamas government was elected by the people in a democratic election. Governing Gaza is a daunting task; a million and a half people are confined to a tiny space, living under siege and suffering near total destruction of their infrastructure. There are extremes within Hamas, as there are in most groups. Some shoot rockets, but they're a small minority.
Why did Israel bomb so many homes? Good question! I wish I knew. All types of homes were destroyed by bombs, missiles, phosphorus bombs, land mines, bulldozers. Many times, as in the farming areas, whole sections of homes were obliterated; houses, barns, orchards, animals,
fields. The excuse or explanation Israel generally offers is terrorists were in the homes. When you look at the destruction; talk to the people who lived there; put two and two together it doesn't add up to resident-terrorists. It adds up to planned destruction of homes and civilians. Why Israel does this, I do not understand.
I don't understand, why can't Gazans leave Gaza? In 2005, after removing the settlements from Gaza, Israel declared a siege on Gaza. The borders were sealed, people and goods were not allowed to cross between Gaza and Israel, Egypt or the Mediterranean Sea. At this time the World Health Organization says only 15% of patients requiring medical treatment outside of Gaza are allowed to cross the border to receive the needed care. Students receiving scholarships to study abroad are not allowed to cross the border and loose the scholarships. Gazans may not travel for business, to visit relatives and friends. They are in a prison without
razor wire or bars on windows. It is the worst prison on earth, confining children, young people, men and women whose "crime" is ????? They are innocent. The crime is being committed by the "jailer."
What about food, clothing, all the things you need, can they cross the border into Gaza? NO! The only goods that may be imported into Gaza are decided by Israel. There is a list of 40 items that may cross the border into Gaza. The list isn't published, it changes without notice and makes day to day life almost impossible. By the way 40 items is an improvement, the first lists featured 9 items. This effects every area of your life. Re-building in Gaza hasn't taken place because there is very little cement allowed to cross the border.
How do people get the things they need? They do without a great many of the things they need. Enter the tunnels! Without the tunnels Gaza could not survive the siege. Everything from toothpaste, to tee shirts, to goats, to motorcycles comes through the tunnels. They are not hidden away as I had anticipated. They are out in the open all along the border between Gaza and Egypt. It's estimated there are over 900 tunnels. Sounds like a lot but remember, they are supplying 1,1500,000 people.
More questions another day.