Name: Karama (24)
Location: Gaza City
Profession: English teacher
Languages: Arabic, English
Karama is an English teacher who lives in Gaza City. During the November 2012 offensive, ‘Operation Pillar of Defence’, one of the first drone strikes hit the street near Karama’s house. It didn’t appear to be targeting anything, but seemed like a message that the operation had started. Now, Karama is enduring yet another offensive, and describes her experiences.
“Communicating is no longer useful in these times,. All we can do is say our prayers. We have cried, shouted, and screamed. But our voices are no more than an echo. Today, we live this tragedy anew with fear, terror, and trepidation, for the ninth day in a row. My name is Karama, I am a Palestinian, I am 24 years old, and I live in the Gaza Strip. I don’t carry a gun, I don’t fight, I don’t shoot, and I don’t kill. My former president once said, “Don’t let the olive branch fall from my hand.” And today I say, “Don’t kill my humanity.” I feel that there is no place for humanity in our everyday life.
I try to get some sleep before a massive explosion wakes me up. Every day, we feel like it our the last day in this life. My house was one of the houses affected by bombing in the previous attacks and now we are just waiting for them to bomb our neighbourhood again. We always say, “This night it is our turn.” I am guilty of nothing. All that I have done is be a Palestinian. I have started to hate the night, because I can’t sleep at night. I am afraid that my heart will stop beating suddenly, as a result of this relentless aggression. If you think that killing me will satisfy you, please do it, but with mercy.”
After the publication of Karama’s writing, her family was forced to evacuate her home in the early hours of 18 July, due to shelling of a nearby building. Karama and her family are now staying with her aunt.
Its Palestine Not Israel 