by the International Center of Bethlehem © 2001
Juliana
In the early morning on Wednesday, 24 October, I left my two children and went to work at the Holy Family Hospital in Bethlehem, which is located on the Jerusalem-Hebron Road. A few hours passed and the sound of the clashes grew louder and louder.
At one moment, when I was standing next to the Hospital Director, Dr. Robert Tabash, as he tried to close the windows of his office in fear that some bullets might enter, we heard a very loud and strange noise. It was an Israeli tank that had stopped at the gate of the hospital.
The Holy Family Hospital, a maternity hospital, which is run by the Malta Knights, was shelled by Israeli tanks 2 days ago. The premature intensive care unit was among the places which were hit by shell fragments.
Juliana Abu Ghazaleh, 29 years old, Administrative Secretary at The Holy Family Hospital
By 3:00 pm, the Israeli tanks were moving down the hospital road, Paul VI Street, as if marching back and forth. They shelled the area sporadically, hitting the surrounding buildings and the Cinema Area, where I have to pass to reach my home.
We began hiding under our office desks or even in the operation rooms. Some of my colleagues were curious to see what was really happening outside. One of them opened the window tentatively. We saw the Qarra'a building opposite of us being set on fire for the third time during these days as a result of shelling. We saw pieces of iron swinging back and forth, about to fall down from the top windows. The whole area was being deserted and seemed like a real battle field.
At about 5 p.m., a laboratory worker was injured as a result of a huge explosion that shook and shocked the whole hospital. A tank shell hit the main entrance of the hospital leaving all the people inside running, shouting from all directions, "We are in danger!" No one was really sure where to hide or take shelter since the hospital is not designed for such situations. Most of the hospital rooms have big glass windows and glass doors that overlook the surrounding areas. At these moments even some patients were shouting for help, but no staff member was able to reach them.
The window of Juliana's office was blown out by the shockwave of a shell.
As the Israeli tank shelling continued on the hospital and its surrounding areas, all the hospital workers decided to stay overnight in the hospital, despite the fact that it was not safe. Changing shifts were postponed for next day since no one dared to go out of hospital even to reach the parking lot.
For me this is the first time I was in a building that is under shelling. I was horrified to hear all those rough explosions around me. I was not sure that I was going to be safe to meet my children again. My mind didn't stop thinking of them, wondering what they were going to do without me during that horrible night, especially because they sleep with me in the same bed in these horrible days.
In that night, the horror was more and more, and my heart kept on beating very fast, as if it was almost going to stop. I couldn't sleep for any minute until a a doctor offered me a tablet to calm me down a little bit. My two friends and I managed to sleep for couple of hours in one of the patients’ rooms overlooking the open parking lot.
The
next day, I had to work for no one could replace me. All vacations and
leaves were cancelled. When I
finally went back home and greeted my two children who were very afraid
for me, I realized that I had changed a lot. I'm no longer afraid from
shelling. There is a big
difference between hearing shelling from a hundred meters away and being
under the same spot of shelling. Except
- I will remember that bad night.
I
hope it will never be repeated.
Juliana with her son Ramiz.
reporter: Sami Abu
Ghazaleh, photos 1+2: Sandra Olwine, photo 3: Curtis Zieske
webmaster: Andreas F. Kuntz