The following dispatch and photos are from Belgian photographer Sarah Van den Elsken.
When I decided to go to Gaza (my first time) on the 25th of June 2006, I didn't know what to expect. I especially didn't think it would be so close to war. But, in fact, I ended up in the middle of it.

On 25th of June 2006, one Israeli soldier was kidnapped. Two were killed by militants from Gaza. PRC is believed to have had the biggest part in planning and conducting of the operation. Nevertheless Hamas got all the attention. Then, on the night of the 27th of June 2006, IDF (Israeli Defense Force) starts attacking Gaza. Bridges, power plant, everything is destroyed.

The destruction:

• Palestinians killed between 28 June-13 July : 97
• Palestinians injured between 28 June-13 July : 242
• Israelis killed between 28 June-13 July: 2, including 1 soldier killed by friendly fire in the Gaza Strip
• Israeli soldiers captured: 1 in Gaza Strip
• Artillery shells fired by Israeli tanks, 28 June-3 July : 584
• Artillery shells fired by Israeli gunboats, 28 June-4 July : 6
• Air strikes conducted by Israel, 28 June-12 July : 120
• Homemade rockets‚ fired by Palestinians towards Israel, 28 June-12 July :127

I stayed in Gaza City with a Palestinian family (who are sending me text messages as I write this, because they can not send me any emails because of the powercuts). I was there from the 26th of June (Access to Gaza was denied on the 25th) to the 30th of June. I went back on the 6th of July and left again on the 12th of July. I saw the retaliation, the attacks from a very close distance and the fear in the eyes of the children. I saw the destruction, the wounded and also people killed.

But why did PRC, Hamas and Islamic Jihad decide to kill the IDF soldiers in Kerem Shalom? And why take that one IDF soldier with them? I was told that the PRC, under Jamal Abu Samhadana, director general of the police force in the Interior Ministry of the Palestinian Territories, decided to take drastic actions to get Palestinians prisoners out of Israeli cells. To have something to 'exchange' with, they decided, they needed prisoners of their own. They started digging tunnels so that they could reach behind the enemy line and attack from the back. On the 27th of June 2006, I sat and drank tea with PRC members who told me this. Their plan was to negotiate with Israel and ask for the release of all Palestinian women and children in Israeli jails.

The response from Israel was swift. IDF started bombing bridges, all over Gaza, Gaza's only powerplant, the goverment buildings, a University (twice) and all buildings believed to be 'containing' Hamas or other militants. There was to be no prisoner exchange.

On the 29th of June I meet the first victim of IDF since the kidnapping of the Israeli soldier. Halil was three and playing in the garden with his friends when he was hit by shrapnel. Before this trip I didn't even know this word, shrapnel. Now I've seen the victims and I've seen it flying.

On the 30th of June, I was on my way to Beit Hanoun when an attack of artillery hits 10 meters from my car. There are kids outside. And the bombs keep coming and the shrapnel keeps flying, as if like summer rain, they keep falling down from the sky. It's a miracle nobody is hurt. But the miracle didn't last and by the time I left Gaza, on the 12 th of July, there were almost one hundred Palestinians killed, including Jamal. Although things are worse now in Gaza, there is hardly any attention paid to their problems.
All the attention now goes to Lebanon. Yet again, it is due to the kidnapping of soldier. This time from Hezbollah.

But that's not what this is about! This is about Gaza and the Palestinians who are still getting hit by artillery and missiles.

- Bridge Wadi Gaza, connects the North of the Gaza Strip with the Middle and the South.
The bridge was bombed overnight by Isreli fire.
This is just one of the many bridges that was bombed and destroyed. 28th of June 2006.

- All 6 transformers are destroyed at the power plant, South of Gaza City by Israeli fire, 28th June 2006.
This leaves as much as 45 % of the Gaza Strip without any electricity at all.
The rest rely on Israel's goodwill and there not that much going around.
From time to time Palestinians in the Gaza Strip (who are not relying on this power plant) have electricity
But most of the time, there is none.

- A Hamas Camp in the Gaza Strip, to the North of Rafah, 28th June 2006.
Two Israelian missiles were launched.
One hit inside the camp, the other landed right next to it.

- Shrapnel flying around like summer rain in Beit Hanoun.
Attacks from Israeli fire in the streets in the North of the Gaza Strip on 30th of July 2006.

- Israeli as seen from Erez Crossing in the North of Gaza Strip, 30th of June 2006.
IDF soldiers at the border with Israel are hiding from their own fire.
Nobody at this time can leave Gaza Strip.

- The body of Ahmed Abu Arkar, is being carried from the morgue at Kamal Adwan Hospital in the North of the Gaza Strip,
to his final resting place on Friday the 7th of July 2006.
He was killed by Israeli fire the day before.

- In the East of Gaza City near Karni Crossing, in the middle of the night, Monday 10th of July 2006,
militants from Qassam of Hamas, Al Aqsa of Fatah, Abu Ale Moustafa of PFLP, Islamic Jihad, Al Alwia of PRC unite.

- Mohammed Hashem Al Atar and his wife Elham lived in this house with their 5 children.
Israeli soldiers took over their house on the 6th of July.
The soldiers beat up the family and tied 3 sons to the gate as human shield.

- Mushar Al Atar 24 and Mohammed Al Atar 20 were killed in their house in Beit Lahiya on Sunday, July 9th.

- Refugees at UNRAW school in Rafah on 10th of July 2006.
They fled their homes around the Gaza Airport in the South of Gaza Strip after Israeli tanks invaded the area.

- In a field, East of Rafah, refugees with animals have gathered.
They fled their homes after the Israeli army invaded their territory.
Because these farmers have animals they can not go to an UNRAW school and they are forced the spend day and night outside.

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