23 March 2011 | International Solidarity Movement
Until now I am doubting whether to upload the horrific pictures of the latest fatalities of Israel’s attacks on Gaza. They show what remains of 15-year-old Qasem Salah Abu Uteiwi and his 16-year-old friend Imad Mohammed Issa Faraj Allah. Both teenagers are from Nuseirat refugee camp, in central Gaza Strip. They were killed on Saturday evening, March 19th, while they were playing in the neighbouring village Johr Al-Dik, at approximately 300 meters from the border.
Warning — extremely graphic images were uploaded here:
http://guerrillaradio.iobloggo.com/2064/il-vero-volto-dell-occupazione-israeliana-attenzione-immagini-cruente
At approximately 21:30 an Israeli tank, stationed along the border, fired more than 20 artillery shells. As a result the two children were immediately killed. Witnesses state that the IOF continued firing until late in the evening.
Yesterday, me and my friends from ISM went down to Nuseirat refugee camp to give our condolences to the families of the victims.
“We were all worried when they did not return home in the evening, and our worry increased after after we heard the bombing. The next morning, we heard on the news that the bodies of two civilians were brought to Shifa hospital. I immediately hurried down there and recognized Qasem in the remains of one of the bodies in the morgue. He was missing an arm, was covered in burns, his face was tattered with shrapnel, and he did not have a single tooth in his mouth”, says Khaled, one of Qasem’s uncles.
The Uteiwi family is a poor family, which was pushed deeper into poverty during Israel’s massacre in 2008-2009. Khaled’s house was destroyed during Cast Lead, just like 3 dunums of his land, while his daughter, Ayat was shot in the chest by a sniper in early January 2009.
Friends and family of Imad Mohammed Issa Faraj Allah gathered in a different mourning tent, a couple of blocks further on. Imad’s father, Mohammed, suddenly turned to me and said: “They have no conscience, no laws, they can do what they want to us. The UN, which promptly adopted a resolution to attack Lybia, has vetoed the condemnation of Israel for its illegal colonies in Palestine. It has turned our souls bitter. They call it ‘the war on terrorism’, but they should call it the war on Arab terrorism, because Israeli terrorism is untouchable.” The man takes a breath and continues.
“I worked 12 years in Israel, and this must be my bonus. Imad’s brothers have seen the photos of his massacred corpse and they demand revenge. These killings are the reason for the conflict. “