I stopped by Al Shanty Bakery in the middle of Gaza City. It is one of the biggest bakeries in Gaza and provides tens of thousands with bread. Hundreds of people were crowded outside the bakery in a very long, long line waiting for bags of bread, which is running out in Gaza.

Abed Mas’od, 24, is a labour working in Al Shanty Bakery. I spoke to him while he was very busy preparing bread for thousands. I managed to get some information out of him.

Before the deadly crisis of a bread shortage, which started 2 days ago, this bakery was preparing 30 bags of flour. But since today, 25 December, it is making bread from around 100 bags, each bag weighing 60 Kilograms. Abed refers to this rise of bread-making quantity to the unrprecedented requests from the population for bread, which came after Israel banned flour coming into Gaza and closed the border.

“Our bakery is out of bread since days and what we have is only for another 24 hours. In fact, we stopped our work yesterday as we ran out of flour. Now, we use grain (fodder) used for animals which will finish in hours,” a bakery lworker said.

Among the crowd, a woman’s voice arose above the people in the row. She started to scream and appealed for God requesting a salvation and easing of life’s conditions. I came closer to the woman, introduced myself, and asked her some questions. The woman, Om Ali Shoman, 45, with a pale, bleak face draws upon the suffering of the population.

She said, “This is our destiny. It’s a conspiracy machinated against us. What’s the fault of my children at home to stay with no bread. Did they fire rockets? Did they kill Israelis? Are they holding guns?”

There are 47 bakeries in Gaza, but now only 14 are in operation.

Normally, Gaza needs 450 tons of flour; 100 goes for bakeries and 300 for household use. Part of the household share flour is being provided by UNRWA which halted its work lately. The remaining flour and wheat quantities will cover the needs of people for only a few days.

With the last Israeli maneuvers of tightening the siege imposed on Gaza, more life necessities vanished. The key power plant shut down some days ago and resulted in tremendously dire outcomes. More than 75% of the Gaza Strip faces severe power cuts and some areas are completely plunged into darkness.

Power cuts and daily blackouts resulted in hindering of all facilities depending on power. The remaining power shares provided by Israel and Egypt are not enough to cover the whole coastal strip. Pumped fresh water is not reaching everywhere. Sewage- and water-treatment machinery are halted. Additionally, around 40 million tons of sewage water leaked into the Mediterranean contaminating it and damaging fish resources.

Israel was obliged to open commercial crossings completely during the calm. But, Israel didn’t abide by that condition only partially opened them. But last week, Israel totally closed the crossings causing a huge humanitarian crisis. According to UNRWA, around 750,000 of its beneficiaries don’t get their devoted share of food parcels. With the Israeli ban on UNRWA aid, it is ensuring that a dire humanitarian crisis will occur soon. As UNRWA is also under siege from assisting Palestine in humanitarian causes, long time projects such as housing are halted to the loss of $350 million.

Recently, wheat and flour mills in Gaza announced an inability to continue work and feared starvation would occur in Palestine if the closure lasts much longer. On 20 November, some hospitals partially stopped working due to power cuts and medical shortages. Coming days will surely bring another crisis if closure lasts longer.

The people of Gaza are outraged by the Israeli collective punishment. I spoke to some Gazan residents. Mr. Muhammad, who refuses to reveal his full name, said that this siege is unjust and it’s a way to pressure on people to give up their rights.

“We have been patient for 60 years now. We passed more cruel time than this. Thus, why to give up this year. We have to be adamant and patient and the siege will be lifted eventually,” Mr. Muhammad said.

A mid-50′s jobless resident from Al Shati’ refugee camp, Mr. Khalil Barakat, said he is outraged by this siege. “I’m fed up, bored I feel we are caged like animals in Gaza. If I could get a chance to immigrate to live my remaining years in peace, then I would love to.”

Coincidentally, I met old friend of mine, Um Muhammad Abu Ouf, a mother in her twenties. It was good for me to explore her views about the siege as well. As a mother and a female, her perspective is most important. We met at 6 pm at AL Omar al Moktar Street which was plunging into deep darkness.

I asked her: “How badly you are affected by siege?”

She replied: “Well, the siege became a daily nightmare midday and night. Electricity cuts off and that frightens my 11-month infant. It makes conditions unsafe for him. Further, I’m trying to get some fortified food for him. I went to many stores and shops but in vain. I could not find any food nor needed supplies for my son as there is a shortage in a lot of the basic products needed to care for infants’ such as milk, diapers and so forth.”

I spoke to Hatem Shurab, an International Relief Worker. Hatem is a siege victim who lost a scholarship to train in the U.S lately. Despite that, he seemed to be optimistic, contrary to the majority here. Hatem is currently preparing a music concert with his friends.

His view was quite interesting and new. Hatem stated, “I’m trying to highlight on people’s suffering through music. We try to end siege through our voices and to tell those who don’t like to watch news what’s going on. On the 27th of November they might know the suffering of Gazans through songs as we are doing a concert. Regardless of pain, we will sing for Gaza.” He hopes to hold his concert soon and give Gazans a glimpse of hope.

The ongoing Israeli military operations and violent retaliation induce psychological maladies and wretched conditions. The recent ceasefire in Gaza allows a temporary rest but not the cure for their fears and nightmares.

The summer of 2007 was a start of a mayhem for a poor Bedouin family of Sahar. Sahar Owaidat, 6, remains in state of shock or perhaps is exhibiting symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder ever since Israeli soldiers stormed her home and brutally beat her father and siblings while she and the rest of the family members helplessly observed.

In all cultures the Father of the family represents safety and security to the family. The Israeli soldiers routinely rob Palestinian fathers of their role.

Sahr fixed her large eyes upon me and informed me, “I asked my mum to hug me and keep me safe. I was scared when I heard the voice of my Dad moaning and screaming. I saw the blood covering our house and many ghosts tried to snatch me. In the corner of the room, three soldiers were beating my younger brother Emad. I cried and cried and cried until my mum awakened me. I am afraid to sleep because they keep coming back.”

Tears filled my eyes, but Sahr’s were blank and empty as she recounted that night one year ago when the Israeli army repeatedly invaded the area where she lived. The family informed that the Israeli soldiers had burst into their house, arrested all the brothers and beat them in front of the family.

Sahr said , “I wanted to go to my kindergarten and I prepared my pens and papers. I went to sleep but I could not, I heard a sound of close shootings. Then the tanks came over and I heard the voice and hurried to my mum. I saw all my siblings and dad beside her. She hugged me and I cried a lot.”

On the day of which Sahar speaks of, after three grueling hours of military operations, the soldiers powerfully and angrily burst into some neighboring houses. The house of Sahr’s family was just one of many homes where male family members were detained by Israeli forces. While many were released after 48 hours, Sahar’s brother Samer was not.

Samer was sent to court and sentenced for 5 years convicted of engaging in “military actions.”

Later in summer 2008, the army got back to cause more panic and fear for children.The Israeli army has bulldozed the agricultural land of the Owaidat family and multitudes of their olive trees that sustained the family were uprooted.

The Owaidat family includes four girls and five boys who like their neighbors live in constant fear and are traumatized by the shelling and invasions from the Israeli army ever since the disengagement in 2005.

The mother told me, “Sahar changed that day she witnessed the savage storming into our home. She became introverted and she now suffers from involuntary urination and nightmares. Her two young siblings also have the same symptoms.”

The current focus in Gaza is directed to humanitarian needs such as food and water and the absence of psychotherapy in Gaza is reaping a generation of children weaned on fear and trauma.

Sahar ended my visit with her pleading, “I want to go to my kindergarten and I don’t want to see those ghosts again. Please, if you see them tell them I’m afraid. Don’t let them come again.”

People of conscience wonder what would happen if another people attacked the USA in the manner that Israel has attacked the indigenous people of the land these last sixty years: stealing and destroying their land, bombing their homes, killing their children and families, depriving them of the basic needs to live and robbing them of human dignity.

Would Americans passively allow such abuse of their families for 60 years?

Or would they revolt and retaliate with violence?

Or, perhaps, the good people of America would launch a massive movement for peace, resolution and reconciliation based on international law and equal human rights for all people?