Online Library for Life in Gaza 08/09
I have put together this comprehensive list of films, videos, articles, photographic galleries, blogs and lectures that show what life is like for Palestinians living in Gaza since the Israeli economic and military siege began following Hamas’ election.
1.1 FEATURE LENGTH FILMS
This film is on youtube in 6 parts. It is an incredible film made by international activists from the incredible Free Gaza Movement and International Solidarity Movement. The film was shot during the operation cast led onslaught on gaza in December – January 08/09. Some of the images in this filom a graphic – lots of horrible images of bombs, destruction, death, hospitals etc. Shows Israel shooting at ambulance staff.
This is the HBO documentary on Gaza. Few images at the start from west bank. This is mostly focussing on the lives of some young children. I felt the angle of this is not particularly pro-palestinian. Anyway, it shows James, the camera man being shot by the Israeli army at the end. It shows Israeli bulldozers. But this is out of date.
THE GAZA STRIP DOCUMENTARY, 1:13:55 minutes
I havn’t had time to watch this. But according to a website blurb it was filmed in 2001 during the elction of ariel Sharon. I have put the website link for the official blurb, below.
DISPATCHES: THE KILLING ZONE, 49:22 minutes
This is slightly older. It focuses on IDF violence again not only Palestinian civilians, but foreign aid workers and journalists.
2. SHORT VIDEOS
2.1 THE ECONOMIC BLOCKADE
DWRC – GAZA SEIGE, 09:50minutes
Fantastic video by Democracy and workers rights centre. A little bit of history, talks of the buffer zone, talks of the blockade, the sealing of the borders, the poverty, education and children. This video shows images of operation cast led. Shows the targeting of ambulance workers. The video has a few images from the 48 Nakba. Video talks about Israeli no compliance with military investigations in op cast led.
OCHA/UNRWA GAZA FILM JANUARY 2009, 05:53 minutes
Great 5 minute UN film about blockade and post war life.
GAZA UNDER SIEGE, 07:56 minutes
Interviews with UNRWA, talks of blockade which is inhibiting the reconstruction of gaza. Shows attacked health clinics and hospitals and the problems they have operating under the blockade. Talks to the farmers near the border. Shows American international school flattened. Talks a little bit about international solidarity actions breaking the siege. There is a link here to embed the video as well!
http://current.com/items/90674509_gaza-under-siege.htm
FOCUS ON GAZA – THE BLOCKADE, 12:14 minutes
Extensive news report on Gaza, mainly focussing on the blockade, but lots of other stuff. There is stuff about viva palestina, fisherman etc.
http://current.com/items/89888996_focus-on-gaza-the-blockade.htm
GAZA: THE DESTITUTE AND THE FORGOTTEN, 07:39 minutes
This is a guardian film on the lack of reconstruction 6 months after operation cast led. Lots of destruction of civilian homes, lots of desperation among the people living in tents because their houses cant be rebuilt.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2009/jun/08/gaza-reconstruction-refugees
GAZA WITHOUT WAR – THE FISHERMEN, 11:59 minutes
Really good close up look at the impact of the blockade on the fishermen of gaza. Non of their boat are running because they have no fuel. It therefore looks at the poverty of the gaza fishermen and their struggle to feed their families. It then talks about the Israeli navy controlling the oceans around gaza so the fishermen can only fish around the beaches. If they further out to see, the military will shoot at them. Talks about the debt that the fishermen get wrapped into. Looks at fishermen who have gone to do other jobs, they had to quit the job they loved doing. The film is a Palestinian production.
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=50012412
MEET THE BAKRS, A MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILY FROM GAZA, 04:11 minutes
This is a guardian film from May 2008 looking at the impact of the blockade on the family. For instance at the school, the curriculum has to be changes away from any subject that needs lots of electricity, like I.T and science. Mr Bakr is a doctor so he talks about the impact on hospitals.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2008/may/13/dinnerwiththebakrs
FREE GAZA: ITALIAN JOURNALIST IN GAZA, 01:06 minutes
ISM activists, journalists and farmers shot at by Israeli army near buffer zone.
http://current.com/items/89849803_free-gaza-italian-journalist-in-gaza.htm
ISRAELI MILITARY SHOOT GAZA FARMER, 02:34 minutes
Shot by the International Solidarity Movement, it shows farmers who are harvesting being shot at from the Israeli buffer zone.
PALESTINIAN FISHERMEN RESIST WATER CANNON ASSAULT, 02:56 minutes
Showing navy coating a fishing boat in water.
ISRAELI NAVY SHOOTING AT GAZA FISHERMEN, 04:50 minutes
Shows shooting and also the use of the water cannon on the fishermen from close range.
2.2 THE WAR / OPERATION CAST LED 12/08 – 01/09
FOCUS ON GAZA: A CRIME OF WAR? – 20/02/09, 23:23 minutes
Long news report on operation cast led. It is investigating war crimes, in particular the shooting of civilians with white flags. Interviews with people, medics.
http://current.com/items/89833353_focus-on-gaza-a-crime-of-war-20-feb-09.htm
GAZA: LIFE UNDER BOMBARDMENT 07:13 minutes
Guardian film during operation cast led. Shows lots of bombed our buildings. The guy talks a lot about the shortage of supplies. Shows hospital bombing, mosque bombing.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2009/jan/02/gaza-video-diary
VIDEO SHOWS EVIDENCE OF PHOSPHORUS BOMBS IN GAZA, 05:46 minutes
Guardian film, interview with a doctor who describes the medical evidence for the use of white phosphorus and other nasty weapons. Images of patients included.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/16/phosphorus-bombs-video-israel-gaza
CUT TO PIECES: THE FAMILY DRINKING TEA IN A COURTYARD, 07:58 minutes
Guardian documentary into Israeli war crimes in Gaza using drones to attack civilians.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/23/gaza-war-crimes-drones
GAZA WAR CRIMES INVESTIGATION: HUMAN SHIELDS, 05:34 minutes
Guardian film about Israeli use of three bothers as human shields in gaza.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2009/mar/23/israel-gaza-human-shields
GAZA WAR CRIMES INVESTIGATION: ATTACKS ON MEDICS, 08:12 minutes
Guardian film about Israel shooting at medics in gaza. A war crime.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2009/mar/23/israel-gaza-medical-workers
GAZA 2009: WE WILL NEVER FORGET, 08:58 minutes
Brilliant propaganda montage of television footage of operation cast lead. Very power full, of many officials talking on camera.
2.2 THE AFTERMATH
GAZA VILLAGES WIPES OFF THE MAP, 08:21 minutes
This is a channel 4 news report where the correspondent goes on a mini tour of the gaza strip looking at the aftermath. He starts in Raffah, looks at the tunnels, talks to civilians. He then heads North to another village very near the Gaza / Israeli buffer soon. In this village the tanks arrived and demolished 85 houses, incredibly depressing images. Israeli bulldozers were actually used. It shows some writings that the Israeli army soldiers wrote on the walls on Palestinian homes.
GAZA: LIVING IN THE RUBBLE, 07:55 minutes
This is a film made by the guardian and talks to a family after their family home was destroyed during operation cast led. They now live in a tent.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2009/feb/10/gaza-israel-election
GAZA SURVIVOR DESCRIBE DAY 48 MEMBERS OF FAMILY WERE KILLED IN ATTACK, 03:46 minutes
A very young child describes the shelling on their home and neighbourhood, mother, father, brothers, sister, cousins, all injured or killed. There are some moving stills as well. The young child muses at the end about why the Israeli’s treat them like this.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2009/jan/30/gaza-samouni
PANORAMA: GAZA OUT OF RUINS, 29:19 minutes
Jeremy Bowen report on what is largely a sympathetic piece towards the Palestinians who suffered in Gaza. There are lots of strong images of bombings, there is a phone interview with the doctor live when his house was hit. The T.V correspondent plays him wailing down the phone that his family has been killed – the correspondent is a friend and rushes off the set to try and get the survivors into Israeli hospital. Bowen walks around neighbourhoods looking at destroyed homes and neighbourhoods. There are challenging interviews with Israeli spokes people. Also talking about and to Hamas in Gaza.
http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/news/watch/v17899077kb6gsat2
MEDICAL TREATMENT CRIPPLED IN GAZA, 03:13 minutes
This is a CNN report that shows kids screaming, the problems of getting health care in and around operation cast led. Shows Jordanian donated supplies.
http://edition.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2009/01/28/hancocks.gaza.hospitals.cnn.html
3. AUDIO SLIDESHOWS
LIFE IN GAZA AFTER ISRAELI INVASION, 04:12 minutes
Really good slideshow actually called ‘Gaza: the legacy of war’ from the guardian, some amazing photographs showing the usual tail of destruction, with a nice narration over the top by the producer. The slideshow has images from the attack, but also there are photo from 6 months after the invasion. There is also some audio footage from a couple of different families and individuals in Gaza talking about their experience.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/audioslideshow/2009/jul/05/gaza-israel-invasion
PHOSPHORUS SHELLS HIT GAZA UN SCHOOL, 03:23
Guardian audio slide show documenting the white phosphorus rounds hitting the UN school in school. The photographs are very good and the slide show is narrated by the Irish guy from UNRWA.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2009/jan/21/gaza-israelandthepalestinians
4. PALESTINIAN BLOGS
PEACE FROM GAZA
This is a blog by Ayman T. Quadar, a Palestinian born and raised in Gaza, who has a B.A degree in English.
http://peaceforgaza.blogspot.com/
GAZA STRIP, THE UNTOLD STORY
This is a blog written by Sameh Akram Habeeb who works as a News Producer and a Journalist at the Ramattan News Agency in Gaza.
http://www.gazatoday.blogspot.com/
FISHING UNDER FIRE, International Solidarity Movement
This blog documents the struggle of Gaza’s fishermen against the economic blockade, but primarily against the Israeli Navi. This blog is updated almost daily with accounts of kidnappings, shootings and stolen boats.
http://fishingunderfire.blogspot.com/
FARMING UNDER FIRE, International Solidarity Movemet
Very much like the ‘fishing under fire’ blog, but applied to farmers who own land near the buffer zone. ISM activists here document and publicise the theft of their land, shootings and harassment while harvesting.
http://farmingunderfire.blogspot.com/
7. ACADEMIC LECTURES
PHYLLIS BENNIS: ISRAEL’S ASSAULT ON GAZA (2009), 56:33 minutes
Phyllis talks about the role of Obama, international law, a new American foreign policy, the vote for Hamas in 2006, the fourth Geneva convention, article 33 on collective punishment, the blockade, the health of children, the rockets, the ceasefire, some history of Israeli control of gaza, the civilians deaths, the us funding of the IDF, the targeting of the UN. International law is the central tenet of the lecture and Phyllis talks about international law in relation to the entire invasion, an illegal act of aggression, the weapons they used, and a BDS campaign against Israel.
RAMZY BAROUD: THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN GAZA (2008), 1:14:45 minutes
Ramzy was born in a refugee camp in Gaza, in this lecture he talks about life in Palestine following the Oslo accords, the elections in 2006, the corruption and elitism of Palestinian representational politics, suicide bombings, intifada, the rise of Hamas, the image of Palestine and Israel amid popular Western culture and opinion, regional geopolitics, the lack of food, fuel, water and sanitation in Gaza, the desperation of Palestinians, violence and the rushing of the Egyptian border.
Thank you
