I Visited Gaza For the First Time in Five Years: This Is What I Saw
NOVANEWS
HANI ALMADHOUN
Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, August/September 2018, pp. 11-13
Special Report
By Hani Almadhoun
“I THINK WE HAVE arrived in Guantanamo Bay,” my wife said upon arriving at the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing this past May. Together with our two children, my wife and I had driven through an area where massive destruction had taken place: armored vehicles and tanks hovered around, firing left and right, with checkpoints so close together it would be funny if it was not so sad.
We had arrived at Cairo International Airport around 8 a.m., and were picked up by our driver by 9. We decided to drive straight to Rafah. It took us nine hours to travel the 230 miles. The delay was largely caused by the at least 20 checkpoints, where our passports and lugga...