MUHAMMAD’S MESSAGES FROM KHAN YOUNIS, AS OF OCTOBER 31
“Hello brother and sister, I am sorry for delay in my response. I was busy because I volunteered with other men here in the school [shelter] to extinguish a fire that broke out in our surroundings very close to the school fence. But we are all well, brother, fighting every moment for our survival and existence. Ghada and the children are sending their Love and kisses.
“These days we have terrible shortages of food. We have one meal per day, and mostly it contains junk food. We are providing the children other things to eat during the day, such as biscuits, potato chips, and popcorn. Of course their anemia is returning and getting worse again, so in this war’s aftermath we will have to continue our battle against it for their health and futures.
“The death toll of our Palestinian people is approaching 8,500 killed, injured people are exceeding 22,000, and displaced people (like us) now exceed 1 million. Other several thousands of killed people are not retrieved yet from beneath the rubble.
“Thank you for your idea to make a program while I cannot take part as we usually have done. Lots of people around the world are thirsty to know the truth about our situation, and soon I will provide you some things to say for me. In the meantime, your LOVE is giving us mighty power and big hope. We are sending a collective hug to you and Angie 
.
“Good morning, brother Jack and sister Angie 
. I hope you are well and healthy. Today is the 26th day of this war that is actually an apartheid pogrom against all Palestinians. We are somehow still well and safe. Ghada and the children are still sleeping (they began to sleep around 3 am, it was an horrific night). Yes, brother, you have to make the solo program as soon as possible, I know this will need hard efforts, but I know how much you are ‘Fedayee’ [a fellow to our people] and a strong man. I am ready to help you with anything you need. I will send you later today some good photos, and am ready to do anything you want me to do. Israeli media are very, very annoyed with the big shift of public opinion in the USA—they are so worried and so perplexed for these changes in American perspective. I will tell you immediately when we have the Western Union offices open again, unfortunately they’re totally closed now. I will be waiting eagerly to read your new WordPress updates. We LOVE you, dear brother and sister 
.
“Hello brother , as you asked for the solo program, I can send some effective photos about this war and bombing of Gaza. However, here in this school-shelter, it is risky to take photos. Hamas intelligence members are banning this, they are wandering among us, some of them disguised or camouflaged, and monitoring everybody in search of any potential spy for Israel. Also, I prefer not to show you our current appearance: we are looking like Auschwitz prisoners.
“Fresh statistics: The Palestinian death-toll from the beginning of this war to right now: 8,725 people killed, including 3,642 children and 2,197 women. Total number of injured people is approaching 25,000. None of that yet includes hundreds and possibly thousands more Palestinians still buried under the rubble of destroyed buildings. We do not have the machinery or other means to dig them out, but we know they are underneath, because the hideous smell of death is everywhere. And, just awhile ago, we listened to very sad news about a huge massacre at Jabalia camp in the northern Gaza strip.“
NOVEMBER 2—
“Good evening, dear brother and dear sister . We are still well and safe. Today the children each took a shower under the running water of the UNRWA tanker. It’s a lorry tanker that comes many times every day to provide refugees of the school with water. Today the death toll has exceeded 9,000 and injured cases has reached 27,000. These are horrible and shocking numbers 
.
“May the Lord bless you brother and sister . Almost 800 people were killed today. Around 5pm the Israeli air force conducted a new massacre at Buraij camp, and 400 people were killed in the raid. I cannot bear listening to more news from radio, every day we hear the list of names of relatives, neighbors, and people we know being killed. My grandfather was expelled from Shaphir, my father was born on the way to Gaza (in the shadow of a sycamore fig tree), and currently Israel wants to expel us from Gaza into the desert of Sinai. We are perplexed, confused, and never have the ability to think of how our tomorrow, our future and fate will look. We simply hope to return to our sweet home in Deir El Balah—we are all so wrecked, so tired, and thirst to rest.
“Good afternoon dear brother and sister . My extended family members (parents, brother, sister) are still staying in their house in the coastal area between Deir el Balah & Khan Younis: their location is more secure and calmer, but they are hosting inside the house another 28 refugees, while some relatives & friends have evacuated Gaza city for the south. Unfortunately, our family was unable to join them, because the direction of artillery-shelling and phosphorus attacks had pushed me into one option, escaping for a while to the house of the sister of [my close friend] Tawfiq [a mechanical engineer Muhammad’s age].
“Tawfiq himself is well, but he is deeply in grief because he lost 14 of his relatives in the air raids.
“Saleem al Naffar, our mutual elder friend [a prominent poet featured here on WordPress], is now trapped in Gaza City [surrounded today by Israeli tanks and forces]. Saleem did not evacuate. He is a mad adventurer, and I am so worried about him and his family, but unfortunately I cannot make contact with him.
“I wrote Tawfiq an s-m-s message telling him your warm words and sadness. He has lost his uncle’s wife, and also I think two or three cousins with their wives and children. Tawfiq is a kind friend, he highly admires you and loves you. For Saleem, as we wait and hope for news of him, please do go ahead and share some of his work here.”
Departure
Earth is yawning,
spreading her wings,
soldiers are babbling,
siege coming closer.
Mirrors will go extinct:
soldiers will depart
without one word.
***
Life
Knives might eat
what remains of my ribs,
machines might smash
what remains of stones,
but life is coming,
for that is its way,
creating life even for us.
***
NOVEMBER 5—
“Hello, dear brother and dear sister 
. We are well and safe. Israeli tanks are spreading deeply into the depth and length of Gaza strip. The humanitarian crisis is getting worse and worse, we’re drinking sour water, sea water is more sweet than this water. But despite all the hardship, we are going to fight for our survival and existence. Ghada, and children and I are sending our LOVE and kisses to you and Angie .”
NOVEMBER 6—
“Hello, dear brother and sister . I am sorry for delay, we had no internet access in the recent 24 hours. We remain well and safe. We still have the water crisis, it is a very cruel and painful problem. Ghada and I are squeezing some lemon drops and adding some sugar to the water in order to make it lemonade, which helps the children to drink it because it is not clean water. Yes, brother, it seems that the Israelis are trying to push us out into Sinai, some people here are believing this. For myself, I am confused and perplexed and cannot predict what is going to happen. Today, a good man (I think he may be a barber) has volunteered to make a nice haircut for JoJo, and he really looks like a cinema star.
“Yes, brother, the majority of people here are thinking that the Israeli army will arrive here and drive us out through the Rafah gates. We are a small part of these people, so their fate will be ours too. If Israelis push us out into Egypt, we will go there, of course. Believe me, brother, I am not worried about where we will be, but about our safety. I want Ghada and our children to be safe and not harmed, this is everything we wish and are looking for. And, we are hearing about the huge demonstrations and protests around the world—this is good and gives us power & better spirits.
“Several Israeli politicians have declared that this war will be “different” and will be an “historic turning point.” We will see what will happens in the coming few weeks. Ghada has received sad news just now, that one of her three close friends has been killed in the artillery attacks. I have told her your and Angie’s warm and sympathetic words, and she thanks you for them.”
NOVEMBER 8 (after 2 days’ multiple breaks in Gaza’s internet/phone links)—
“Hello brother, today we received 5 cans of food (1 can per 1 person) and we are feeding our little ones. Today for the first time our school/UNWRA shelter received a truck half-full of supplies. The cans included corn, ground beef, tuna, and beans. The situation is getting worse and worse, especially with the increasing number of refugees who evacuated the northern area of Gaza City yesterday and today. Just a while ago, we met with the UNRWA representative here in Khan Younis about several issues. We desperately need more and cleaner drinking water, more canned food, and blankets, because the children start to feel cold in the nights. He promised us to help and to do his best.“
NOVEMBER 10—
“Hello, dear brother and dear sister . We are well and safe. Here are the latest and best statistics I can find about the war casualties here in Gaza Strip. Number of people killed, 11, 225. Number of people injured, 27, 992. Number of children killed, 4,518. Number of Israeli raids on our health sector’s infrastructure, 317. And, 251,000 houses are either partially or completely destroyed.
“About the feelings and attitudes of [my wife] Ghada and [my son] JoJo: Ghada is very sad and depressed after the shock of her close friend’s death in an artillery attack. She is worried about the coming of winter, and trying to find comforters for the children. And all the time she is worried also about her mother and father, who are trapped (like Saleem) in Gaza City. JoJo misses his kindergarten so much, but he has made several friendships here with children of the shelter.”
NOVEMBER 11—
“Hello, dear brother and dear sister . We remain well and safe. I am sorry for the delay of my messages, our internet is very very deadly slow. Our children are well, the little twins Dina and Lina too. They suffered from some illness (vomiting & fever) due to the consumption of unclean water, but now they are OK and healed. Of course, this situation has brought back their anemia, but whenever this war ends we will immediately provide them with healthy food and supplements. Don’t worry about them, brother and sister, they are playing and singing every day.”
NOVEMBER 13—
“Good evening dear brother and dear sister . We are well and safe again today. A very small quantity of aid is arriving at our school shelter, but it’s OK, we are adapting ourselves to the system of one meal per day. And we are happy that the children’s psychological situation is becoming better—they are playing and singing too with the other kids here.
“We are happy to see all this solidarity and all these marches around the world. On land, in the Gaza City battle, the Israeli army is smashing Hamas fighters and achieving massive success. The Israeli tanks have occupied the largest and most prominent streets in the city. I only hope this war ends soon, because next week there will be heavy rains, and I am worried about the people who are living here in tents. They will sink in the rains and the mud.
“Your continuous unstoppable support is the real MIRACLE which makes us powerful and able to withstand all this pain. We LOVE you more than words can express.” 
NOVEMBER 15—
“May the Lord bless you, dear brother and dear sister 
. We are keeping well and safe. Today we have received new canned tuna (gift from the people of Japan). I made a primitive fire (in the Paleolithic way), Ghada used it to cook a handful of rice, and then we enjoyed eating the rice with tuna. We are feeling warm, and it’s OK. In addition to the two blankets we have, I am trying to find or acquire a third one.
“We are talking almost each day through messenger or mobile sms with my brother Ahmad or my mother, they are well, and they are hosting a lot of refugees evacuated from the north. I am proud of them because they are doing this goodness and helping other people. I conveyed your message of healing and hope to [my friend] Tawfiq, and he appreciated it so much with big love and admiration, although he is depressed and psychologically affected by his family’s terrible losses. Also, right now we cannot get the children tested for their levels of anemia, but when this war is over we will compensate with good food and medicines. In the meanwhile, Ghada, the children and I are sending our LOVE and kisses to you, Angie, and to your tribe of 20 cats! “
NOVEMBER 18—
“Hello, dear brother and dear sister . The internet service was cut off for the last two days, but some little fuel was delivered and now it works again. We are all well. The last night was so terrible, so difficult, the sky was raining shrapnel over our school shelter, and thick black gas was infiltrating our windows. Yes there’s a severe shortage of food, UNRWA has declared today that its warehouses will very soon be totally empty. How are you? We love Crete and Cretans (our relatives), we appreciate their support, and all the worldwide support. Ghada, the children and I are sending our LOVE and kisses to you and our princess. 
“
NOVEMBER 19—
“May the Lord bless you, brother and sister . I am sitting with Ghada, talking together, having some rest after this long day of hardship and fighting for survival: the children are sleeping. We are well, dear brother. Today I talked on Facebook Messenger with our mutual friend Vicky (the noble Cretan woman): she is a brilliant person and a real sister. Tomorrow evening, we have a new meeting with the UNRWA representative, and we hope he will bring us good news and some solutions to our countless crises here. We’re all sending big hugs to you and our princess.
“Good evening. It is raining here in Khan Younis, and the weather is stormy. We are sitting around with each other, while the children are watching cartoon movies. One hour ago, we finished our meeting with the UNRWA representative: our meeting was fruitful, tomorrow they will bring our school 200 blankets, more amounts of canned food, panadol, and aspirin, also medicines for diabetes & hypertension for people who have these chronic diseases, plus some bottled water, soap, and shampoo.“
NOVEMBER 22—
“Hello brother and sister—We have some sort of good news here, tomorrow at 10 am (Palestine time) we will have the beginning of a 4-day humanitarian ceasefire. We will not be able to return to our house, but the killing will stop 4 days and we will get a good amount of food, medicine, and clothes. We LOVE you and Angie more than words can express.”
NOVEMBER 25—
“Hello dear brother , I am sorry for this delay of days. Today is the second day of our 4-day humanitarian cease-fire. I can tell you frankly that it is a fragile and vulnerable cease-fire, because it is full of violations. We have an increasing flow of aid trucks, but they are simply not enough, we still need thousands of tons more aid. The Italians have sent three trucks, so today I volunteered to work 11 hours continuously, distributing the aid from them: bottled water, baby diapers, infants’ milk, blankets, and soap. My brother Ahmad, my old friend Tawfiq, and two young women were helping me. It was another exhausting day but full of achievement, as we received two more trucks of the Italian aid. We distributed macaroni, canned beef, hazelnut & chocolate biscuits, wet-wipe tissues, and bottles of juice for the little ones.
“I hope this horrific war will end soon. But we are well, dear brother: Ghada and JoJo, Dina and Lina slept well and deeply last night. They and I are sending you our LOVE and kisses.”
NOVEMBER 29—
“May the Lord bless you dear brother . I am sorry for such a long delay between messages, but yesterday was a tough day. We were busy with the death of one of my cousins. He was injured in an airstrike two weeks ago, and yesterday morning the hospital announced his death. Even so, we are well, brother. Today is the sixth day of our prolonged ceasefire, people are receiving more amounts of food, clothes, and blankets, and this is good. We LOVE you all.”
DECEMBER 1—
“Hello dear brother, I hope you are well and in good health. We are well, and safe, although we had an internet problem, because today in the morning the ceasefire really ended. Now this moment we are hearing horrible artillery shelling on eastern Khan Younis. Many people have been killed, and also fierce strikes are coming from the sky. Yes, brother, it looks like this wave of the war is targeting the south and Khan Younis in particular. We are still in the same school shelter, with a fair amount of food and water (we benefited from each moment in the ceasefire to gain our essential needs as much as we could). Going by what we see, we expect that the worst is coming, but we will do our best to survive and hold onto our hope. Always I remember your words, that we are warriors of Love. And we LOVE you, brother, more than words can express.”
DECEMBER 5—
“Hello dear brother, I am sorry for the delays in my messages, but we have almost no internet, it comes for a few minutes and then disappears. We are well and doing our best to survive. Tanks have infiltrated inside Khan Younis, they are close, only a few hundred meters away from us. The situation is so terrible, Israel’s bombing does not stop for a one single second. But, do not worry about us, dear brother, we’ll be OK . Fearing another internet cut-off, I’ll shorten my message. Please convey our appreciation to each person asking about me and my family. Big LOVE and much kisses to you and Angie.”
DECEMBER 6—
“Hello dear brother—I cannot find words to describe these recent days of constant bombing of the people here in Khan Younis, it is a very very terrible situation. Yesterday was horrific, as the bombs from Israeli jets came down only 100 meters away from us. I was in the corridor in front of the classroom where we have a little family space for shelter. When a bomb exploded so close to us, I inhaled a lot of smoke and fell down unconscious for some minutes. But I am recovering now, and I will be OK.
“The Israeli army is acting in peerless savagery. I will be OK, and fortunately, Ghada and our children were not harmed: they were inside the closed classroom and I was in the open-air corridor preparing some food for our meal. When the bomb struck just outside, in one second I was sinking in a thick black gunpowder cloud. Well, always you are giving us enormous power with your replies and actions. You are the real brother, and we all LOVE you.” 
.
DECEMBER 8—
Hello dear brother—We are well and our children are healthy. Fierce clashes are taking place now in Khan Younis. Tanks are stationing in the northern and middle parts of the city, they’re trying now to infiltrate into the southern area. The roaring of Israeli tanks is very noisy, their Merkava is the noisiest tank in the world. They are rolling deep into these overcrowded streets. And now today we are alerted to move more southward toward Rafah and the gates of Egypt’s Sinai. The UNRWA will guarantee a secure evacuation by its vehicles. We don’t know when exactly this will happen, maybe tomorrow or after tomorrow. The most important thing to me is that our children are well and not harmed. I hope we will soon find salvation from this hell. We are all sending you our big LOVE and kisses!“
DECEMBER 11—
“May the Lord bless you dear brother. Yes, right now everything is going exactly as you predicted. A second NAKBA is coming. Of course, brother, I am acting with wisdom and calmness and doing my best to keep us alive and together. I will keep you updated with news of our coming journey of Exodus to the gates of Egypt at Rafah.
“I am so tired, dear brother, and my heart is crushed, I cannot dry my eyes. SALEEM AL NAFFAR is assassinated. The Israeli air force has bombed his house, and Saleem, his wife, and his children were all killed. His home was targeted, this was not a random accident. When we published his three poems on your WordPress page, Saleem could not sleep from happiness, he was very happy with our translations of his work. All of Gaza’s and the West Bank’s intellectuals are sad and angry at his assassination. This is so painful for me, I cannot afford even more pain like this.“
DECEMBER 12—
“For me, Ghada, and our children, this is our first day here in Rafah. We moved this morning to a UNRWA school located here. I do not know what the next step is, to which destination our next evacuation will be.“
DECEMBER 18—
“Kalimera dear Jack, Angie and Vicky—Unfortunately we have not had any internet service in the recent five days. We remain well here in Rafah. The fighting is still continuous in Khan Younis. We do not know what comes next after they finish the battle there, and we do not know what will happen if they attack here in Rafah: maybe we will be thrown out into Sinai. We are all sitting now in the shelter’s schoolyard to enjoy the winter sun, and we are all sending you our LOVE and kisses.”
DECEMBER 24—
“Hello dear brother, I have been trying to write to you for a week now. I was just preparing a new message to you but suddenly the internet was cut off again. The internet here in Rafah is the worst in the whole Gaza territory. The recent days have been cruel and bitter because of the cold wet weather (especially at night), and there is also another shortage of food. In general, however, we are well, and our children are healthy and playing with their toys. Even so, the Israeli ground invasion is expanding into new areas, and approaching particularly the suburbs of Deir al Balah, where our old home is (or now, is not: we do not know). I am waiting for my larger family and my close friend Tawfiq’s family to arrive here, they are supposed to evacuate tomorrow and come here to Rafah.”
DECEMBER 26—
“Hello brother, I hope you are well and healthy. Today with the dusk, Tawfiq’s family have arrived here in Rafah, while tomorrow my larger family is supposed to come also. History is repeating itself—for tomorrow my father, who is 75 years old, will walk from Deir Al-Balah to Rafah, just as his mother walked from our ancient village Shaphir to exile in Gaza in 1948. Happily, today I learned from Tawfiq that, according to some eyewitnesses, our former and beloved home in Deir al Balah is still standing on its foundations, with only some minor damages. Generally we are well, the children are healthy, and we have learned some Greek words from our Cretan friend Vicky: JoJo, Dina, and Lina are saying “Kalimera” or “Good Morning” every day when they get up 
. We are all sending our LOVE and hugs to you and our princess. “
DECEMBER 30—
“Hello dear brother , I am sorry for the delay of my message. We are well and the children are healthy. Yesterday, my father’s family joined us here in Rafah. Their spirits are very low, I am trying to raise their spirits especially after I myself have become familiar with homelessness. I am happy & proud, however, that our English text about Saleem has become a reference for all the people who are talking and writing in English about him. On the other hand, the corrupted oligarchs of the Palestinian Authority are pretending to weep and mourn for Saleem: in this photo below, they share in a consolation event for him in Ramallah.”
January 1, 2024 = 86 Days of Genocidal War in Gaza, driving Muhammad’s family and millions of Palestinians into Rafah on the edge of the Sinai Desert. CLICK HERE to stay with them daily in Part 3…
*****
jackdempseywriter 
Pingback: PALESTINIANS NOW: 2nd EXILE, DANGER & TOTAL UNCERTAINTY | jackdempseywriter