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Watching a War from the Gaza Border

January 06, 2009 2:38 PM

ABC's Lama Hasan reports from the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza:

No western journalists have been allowed into Gaza.  Here at the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, it's the closest we could get to Gaza.  A mere border checkpoint separates us.

For the past 3 days we've heard heavy shelling from the F16's that dot the winter sky.  They've been hitting targets close to the border because beneath it lies a network of complex tunnels which Hamas has used to smuggle everything from food to fuel and weapons.

Today the shelling subsided allowing some aid, including food and medicine, to cross over.  The Egyptian government has been accepting some of the injured, the critical cases, the lucky few, to receive treatment. While we were there at least 13 ambulances ferried the injured through. It's a tricky process.  Palestinian ambulances rush through the border, the injured are stretchered out, their documents are checked and then they're gingerly handed over to the Egyptian medics who are standing by.

A 16 year old girl called Haneen arrived with her mother who was allowed to accompany her.  She told us that she was hit by a rocket and her leg had to be amputated. Haneen is so traumatized she can't speak.
For the Palestinian ambulances, there's no time to waste, they rush back into Gaza.

January 6, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (0)

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