Gaza Revisited

I'm still in Kiryat Shimona, but thought these pictures were interesting. They were taken from the car window while driving through Gaza City. They give a sense of what the streets are like there these days.

A toddler in a walker peering out onto the street. The iron gate has been left open wide enough for him to see out but not enough for him to roll his walker through.

Kids playing on the street.

Gaza City is where Samson was imprisoned by the Philistines after Delilah betrayed him and they cut off his hair and gouged out his eyes. It's also where he pulled down a temple upon the Philistine rulers after his hair had grown back. The words Palestine and Palestininian come from Philistine, though the geneological link between the Palestinians and the Philistines is not clear.

There is graffiti everywhere.

More grafitti.
There are men with guns everywhere. This guy is a member of the Palestinian Authority security forces loyal to Fatah and the president, Mahmoud Abbas.

Men sit on the streets and talk. Women mostly stay home.

Trees have been planted and are surrounded by grills.

A boy sitting outside his home.

An elderly woman outside a shop.

More men talking on the street.

A girl sitting outside her school. School is out for the summer.

More graffiti.

More gunmen.

Members of an armed militia during a brief meeting with the press.