According to many pictures and images Gaza was a wonderful place prior to 7 October 2023. The above picture of Al Rasheed Street, the one we used to hear about endlessly on Al Jazeera. It doesn’t exist any more – all destroyed due to Israeli bombs and malice.
Despite the Israeli-imposed siege on the enclave since 2007, the Strip was a plush territory with modern institutions, schools, universities, hospitals and a developing economy despite the squeeze. There was a sense of sustenance, cordiality, community and camaraderie among its people but no more.
It had an urban culture with buildings, towers, villas, houses and yes, shanty refugee camps occupied by a population of 2.2 million that lived in the 364 square-kilometer strip but no more. For the lives of the people had been turned upside down.
The familiar face of Gaza disappeared quickly, all gone since 7 October when the Israeli army began its mass destruction and slaughter. Towns, cities and villages were razed to the ground whilst turning its people en masse into displaced persons running from one place to another to seek safe shelter.
But in Gaza there is no safe place, the Israeli military is making sure of that. Their bombs and weapons of mass destruction have made sure that men, women, children, old and young keep moving to where, nobody knows.
Israel has dropped 82,000 tons of explosives on the Gaza Strip according to the Government Media Office in Gaza City. This figure was for early August, 2024 and its is likely to be much higher now. The amount of wreckage and debris is colossal. The UN Environment Program has stated amounts to 40 million tons of rubble (figures for July) and it would take 15 years to clear.
One blogger points out the Israeli military – army, air force and navy because Gazans are being bombarded from all directions – has dropped 36 kilograms of explosives for every man, woman, and child in Gaza.
This is a giant number that can’t be fathomed by the human mind.
The image (as provided by the UN Satellite Center, 6 July) shows that each red dot points to a bombed place in Gaza with the blogger adding this is what genocide looks like.
The huge explosives were dropped by Israeli warplanes, tanks and from the sea since the Jewish state started its war on the enclave after 7 October, 2023.
Israel’s war on Gaza is being facilitated by US support which has provided Tel Aviv with much of the weapons and mass bombs – some of these MK84 and weigh 2000 pounds per piece, other bombs weigh 1000 pounds and others still 500 pounds – for willful destruction of a thriving Palestinian society.
The Israeli Defense Ministry stated last August that the United States has provided Israel 50,000 tons of military equipment and hardware since it launched its onslaught on the Gaza Strip after 7th October, 2023. This enormous tonnage was delivered to Israel through 500 mega transport planes and 107 ships delivering hardware through sea.
Israel has destroyed 430,000 houses, 821 mosques, 3 churches, 206 historical sites, 25,000 kilometers of sewage networks and 700 water wells so far and the carnage continues.
Israel has killed more than 41,000 civilians and over 95,000 in Gaza, yet its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the war must go on, while the Joe Biden administration takes a backseat and continues to supply the weapons.
Dr Asmar is a writer based in Amman Jordan and he blogs on