Palestinian women recount memories of war in Gaza

The Gaza Women’s Affairs Centre [GWAC] has released a book of short stories that set down in writing the experiences of women during last summer's devastating Israeli war against the Gaza Strip which killed over 2,000 people.

The book which is titled Holes In The Robe of Justice is made up of 300 short stories in both Arabic and English that shed light on the everyday struggles of Gazan women during the 50-day war.

“A year after the war ended, we have released this book to chronicle the tough times Gazan women went through during the Israeli aggression,” said the GWAC’s general director Amaal Syam in an interview with al-Watania.

A year after the war ended, we have released this book to chronicle the tough times Gazan women went through during the Israeli aggression -Amaal Syam

Journalist Mervat Abu Jamea who worked on the book said the stories were selected to expose Israeli violations to international law and human rights to counter Israeli propaganda in the west.

During the book’s launch event last week, GWAC member Zeinab al-Ghonaimy said, “Israel will not stop its aggressive policies against Palestinians unless political parties and forces come together and give up the divide to face Israel.”

“We will never forget about the genocidal crimes against around 145 families that lost three or more family members in a single airstrike, including some that were completely wiped out. During the war 293 women were killed, 2,168 injured, 600 suffered miscarriages and 791 lost their husbands, not to mention the hundred who lost loved ones,” Ghonaimy told SAMA News.

In the course of last year’s conflict - the longest, deadliest and most destructive - 2,251 Palestinians were killed, including 551 children. More than 10,000 were wounded and 100,000 were left homeless.

On the Israeli side 73 people were killed, of whom 67 were soldiers. Up to 1,600 were wounded, according to the UN.