Cast Lead

After more than a year, I decided to publish these pictures I got from a palestinian source. They are not new. They are not unpublished. They have been published before. But I didn't because I thought they're too extreme. But times have changed. The time has come to publish them.

For all you faint-hearted: be aware. There is some VERY graphic material further down. If you do not want to see these pictures, leave now. 

On 16. February 16th, 2011 13:39:22 MEZ I wrote this letter to a friend: 

You know, XXXXX, with documents it's much more difficult to check if they are forged, what relevance they have, what their context is etc.

With pictures this is much easier: minutes before I sent you the document, I got hold on following picture by a palestinian source (I sent him the uncensored image of course): 

I was totally shocked even though it was _not_ the most horrifying picture I have seen. I don't know the exact context of the picture except that it was taken during the «Cast Lead» massacre in Gaza. And it's also not important for what I want to say. 

What makes me think is that if I would send this picture to a journalist it would never be published. Even if I would offer its full context and the source and so on. And even if we would agree that it is not one of the worst pictures (as we do not want to shock anybody all too much because of pure voyeurism or let us being reproached exactly that) it would still not be published.


Maybe we've seen already too many of those pictures and I believe it makes us – or at least me – feel helpless in a certain way. But how far does it have to go before I, before you, before we say: no, sorry, with all due respect, but _this_ is not normal. Alright, I stop here 'cause I don't want to come across too dramatic…


[…] 


All these thoughts are of a very private nature of course. Maybe I'm a bit too oversensitive, who knows?


Ah and by the way: When asked my palestinian contact said: «sorry to tell but we get/got numb to it. 1st time you see you puke, get sick, in rage, but does not help, life goes on.»


Business as usual. Isn't that rad?


With kind regards,
Roger










So, here are some of the pictures I got from that palestinian source. And some more that I found in the Web (to enlarge click on the image): 

Victim of Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza War.

Israeli Soldiers handling white phosphor shells.

Remains of an exploded white phosphor shell.

White phosphor over Gaza: typical for white phosphor: the white smoke traces in the air.

AlJazeera as one of the few media channels reporting on it…

Day and Night. Not just one. Dozens. Maybe hundreds.

And yes…

… they DID hit the ground. They were in no way just smoke screens or markings.

Phosphor smoke is as dangerous as phosphor splashes. Once inhaled it burns your lunges from inside out.

Apathy or calm? Letargy or coolness?

Same place as in pic above: a UN-school…

Relaxation is definetely over …

Phosphor doesn't make a difference on where it burns, wether you are Christian, Atheist or Muslem…

It reacts to oxygen and near to impossible to wash away with water (like napalm) …

It doesn't burn clothes. But chemically reacts with skin. 

White phosphor belongs to the chemical weapons that are internationally forbidden…

…but are there sanctions for the abusers?

War makes blind. Never mind if you are American or Palestinian…

If you do not (want to) understand anything then just understand this one point:
war brings suffering. Great suffering. For everybody. If you do not want to suffer
there's an easy solution: Don't engage in it. Don't engage in war.

Phosphor splashes "burn" right through your skin. Until there is no material left
for the chemical reaction. Or no skin. Phosphor smoke is less severe on the outside,
but burns you right from the inside out.

Typical Phosphor burns: …

holes with sharp edges.

Still living? Still gasping for air?

All the clothes are still intact and nearly undamaged. 

UN School in Gaza

Who would those children blame for their suffering? The aggressors? Sure.
Their parents for bringing them into this situation? Probably. Their ancestors
for not resolving smoldering conflicts in the first place? Defenitely.

Another picture of the UN school after the bombing.

Daddy, what did you do in Gaza?