This was day 10 of our family's self-isolation and day 1 of hearing the virus is in Gaza. My heart and mind are so full and churning that I've decided to try to write as often as I can. Not to be read, but just to process, and to provide a record I may someday find valuable.
Gaza is one of the most densely populated spots on earth, and one of the poorest with the least access to healthcare. They're also cut off from the world and the rest of their country by the Israeli government, so I'd hoped beyond hope that perhaps the novel coronavirus wouldn't reach there. My heart broke today to learn it has.
It's hard to explain how horrible a situation Gazans are already in. They effectively live in an open-air prison. Their water supply is unclean. Their people are bombed and shot at, and if they don't immediately die, they lose limbs or die later because of a lack of care for these wounds. Their medical system is already overwhelmed.
And now this.
The Israeli government is a cruel one. When children with cancer or other severe health issues need specialized medical care and are "granted permission" to leave Gaza for a city in their own country with better hospitals, often their parents aren't allowed to accompany them. This has sometimes meant a child dying without mom or dad at their side, or an infant being taken for care by a grandma since the breastfeeding mother isn't permitted to go.
I would like to hope that Israel will ease restrictions in order to let Gazans in respiratory distress from COVID-19 get the help they can. But I don't think it's likely. I feel like the Gaza Strip has just been given a death sentence. I see you, Gaza. I'm sorry.
Gaza is one of the most densely populated spots on earth, and one of the poorest with the least access to healthcare. They're also cut off from the world and the rest of their country by the Israeli government, so I'd hoped beyond hope that perhaps the novel coronavirus wouldn't reach there. My heart broke today to learn it has.
It's hard to explain how horrible a situation Gazans are already in. They effectively live in an open-air prison. Their water supply is unclean. Their people are bombed and shot at, and if they don't immediately die, they lose limbs or die later because of a lack of care for these wounds. Their medical system is already overwhelmed.
And now this.
The Israeli government is a cruel one. When children with cancer or other severe health issues need specialized medical care and are "granted permission" to leave Gaza for a city in their own country with better hospitals, often their parents aren't allowed to accompany them. This has sometimes meant a child dying without mom or dad at their side, or an infant being taken for care by a grandma since the breastfeeding mother isn't permitted to go.
I would like to hope that Israel will ease restrictions in order to let Gazans in respiratory distress from COVID-19 get the help they can. But I don't think it's likely. I feel like the Gaza Strip has just been given a death sentence. I see you, Gaza. I'm sorry.
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