Prof. Said Abdelwahed: " Army tanks and special forces were in the second street from me! "

January 12, 12:30 p.m

Dear Nader,

Hope this finds you in your best. Thanks for your e-mail and concern. My family and I are okay but stressed. Yesterday's early morning's ground and air attacks on our neighbourhood was really tough. Battle lasted for five hours! The Israeli army killed 14 including 2 cildren, demloished by their buldozers one home of Sweerky family, destroyed plants and trees in a nearby agricultural land, detroyed a mosque minaret, burnt one home of al-Jarwsha family. My children were scared to death; they screamed and crumbled together in one room. I expected the Israeli tanks to move deeper into the neighbourhood; army tanks and special forces were in the second street from me! Electricity was shut off and homes and streets were in total darkness! Dozens of families moved out of their apartments panicked. They left from back streets! Because I was not sure of what may be next; in such sitations no one can tell how the soliders will behave when they reach! Thus, in an early step and to calm down my children, I deleted all my messages to my firends about the situation in Gaza! Fourty people died in the day before yesterday.

Last night was a night of bombing from tanks and artillery; it continued to this morning too. Mobile phones can hardly operate, but sometimes we can send mobile short messages to know about the safety of each other. Land telephone lines are okay after a period of bad line in the first 10-12 lines. In a breaking news now, six Palestinians killed this mroning. Do you beleive! I have just recieved a mobile message from my neighoure who lives in the fifth floor (I live in the fourth floor) in which he wishes me and my family to remain safe!

To tell you the truth, I was so sad to lose my diaries of the ongoings in Gaza, but this morning with the elecrticity back, I saw my messages on the internet blogs. Please keep my message to you. In a way, it tells historical moments!

May God bless you, family and home.

Prof. Said Abdelwahed
Department of English
Faculty of Arts & Humanities
Al-Azhar University of Gaza