The people of Gaza like all others in this world are not living to die. They live for new beginnings, new births, new chapters. They have lives and families and jobs. They have dreams and fears and aspirations and futures and pasts. They are human. And they want to live in dignity as every human deserves. Amid the storm of missiles and shrapnel and the smell of death and decay, there is new life bringing with it new hope in Gaza. 4,500 new little lives have come into the world since Israel’s assault on Gaza began 34 days ago. Alongside the numbers of al shuhada’ who have left this world are the numbers of new lives coming into it, opening their eyes and taking in their first breaths in the midst of the sounds of bombs raining down. They are new life born out of the pains of the old. They are life’s alibi in the face of death. Doctors and nurses in Gaza hospitals wait on pins and needles, monitoring premature babies piled up on top of one another in insufficient numbers of incubators that at any moment, without warning, can stop functioning. When the power goes, so too may life. But that doesn’t deter exhausted medics from vigorously pumping oxygen into their little lungs until the power comes back. With each pump, they read a prayer and hold onto the faith and hope that these little lives will grow up to be the light of Gaza’s future. Future freedom fighters of Palestine. Future poets and writers who will tell the world the resplendent stories that perpetuate steadfast hope and resistance. Future teachers who will teach the world about life and the incomprehensible art of forgetting. Future lawyers who will defend the defenseless. Future engineers and architects who will build Gaza back stronger than before. Future parents who will celebrate new life and milestones. Future doctors and nurses themselves who will heal and save lives. Hospitals are filled with the cries of fear, anguish and death, but they’re also been filled with cries of new life and hope. New little lives born into a Palestinian legacy of faith, resilience and steadfastness (sumud). A legacy of unwavering determination and unshakable conviction to keep fighting no matter what. New little lives born to live and dream and hope. Born to LIVE, not to die.
Posted on: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 01:36:49 +0000
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