Jewish-American journalist, author and blogger Max Blumenthal [2] visited Gaza's Beit Hanoun on the north-eastern border with Israel on August 15. He was accompanied by Palestine-based journalist Dan Cohen [3].
Gazans were taking advantage of a much-anticipated ceasefire between Hamas and Israel to try and salvage what they can from the rubble. Prior to the ceasefire, the offensive in Gaza had claimed [4] the lives of 1,951 people, including over 70 families and 467 children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Israeli NGO B'TSelem has confirmed [5] the death of at least 1,767 Gazans and 431 children while the percentage of civilians killed ranges from 73 to 80 per cent according to the United Nations [6].
What Blumenthal and Cohen saw, however, was a town “completely flattened” by Israeli aerial and tank attacks. Beit Hanoun made worldwide headlines when an Israeli strike on a UN school [7] killed 15 civilians on the 24th of July despite the UN asking the IDF for time to evacuate. Unfortunately, the devastation was not limited to a single school as you will see below.
The following is the timeline of their visit:
Beit Hanoun was completely flattened by Israeli aerial and tank attacks pic.twitter.com/KdmNwyqxpR [8]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 15, 2014 [9]
One of the Beit Hanoun homes occupied by Israeli soldiers, its floor littered with bullet casings pic.twitter.com/zlwXhEYVpf [10]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 15, 2014 [11]
He says Israeli soldiers looted his brother's documents and belongings from his desk. His home is in ruins. pic.twitter.com/m0jVTITi5u [12]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 15, 2014 [13]
Some clothes left behind by Israeli soldiers in Beit Hanoun pic.twitter.com/gBICqRLcdj [14]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 15, 2014 [15]
A cemetery in Beit Hanoun. They even bomb the dead. pic.twitter.com/WJifqnP2hD [16]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 15, 2014 [17]
.@dancohen3000 [3] finds some new fans in Beit Hanoun pic.twitter.com/simIMdTwP2 [18]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 15, 2014 [19]
Yard of the UN school shelled by Israel, where 17 were killed and 150 injured pic.twitter.com/YUFbB3HxTO [20]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 15, 2014 [21]
Israel bombed his classroom with an F-16 at Beit Hanoun's UN school pic.twitter.com/vLCIBv6EY2 [22]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 15, 2014 [23]
Scholasticide pic.twitter.com/vwVbATkKWt [24]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 15, 2014 [25]
One of the many wounded I randomly encountered today – She lives behind the Beit Hanoun UN school pic.twitter.com/zuc7UMoIxX [26]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 15, 2014 [27]
Israel is 700 m away. It uprooted his orange groves & destroyed his wells in 2005 then bombed his house last month. pic.twitter.com/eIrT4vOKbo [28]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 15, 2014 [29]
As a farmer describes to me how Israel killed 8 family members, his cousin offers me a bunch of grapes & cold water. The highest character.
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 15, 2014 [30]
A girl named Reham lived in this room in Beit Hanoun until Israel destroyed her home pic.twitter.com/8dD6dEq7N7 [31]
— Dan Cohen (@dancohen3000) August 15, 2014 [32]
1948 continues in Beit Hanoun today pic.twitter.com/7I0lLPSX3a [33]
— Dan Cohen (@dancohen3000) August 15, 2014 [34]
Israeli soldiers carved Stars of David in homes in Gaza, report @MaxBlumenthal [2] & @dancohen3000 [3] http://t.co/GB3QeEyzWi [35] pic.twitter.com/FkbMVHSv9y [36]
— Mondoweiss (@Mondoweiss) August 15, 2014 [37]
Written on the wall of what used to be a home in Beit Hanoun: Palestine, 3 Israel, 0 pic.twitter.com/dR85D69PFr [38]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 15, 2014 [39]
Her home was turned into a hole in the ground. She learns where I'm from. “Netanyahu and Obama are equally guilty!” pic.twitter.com/wrBjvAJwp3 [40]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 15, 2014 [41]
Only the entrance remains to the farmer's house pic.twitter.com/Pn8osP5bhH [42]
— Dan Cohen (@dancohen3000) August 15, 2014 [43]
Burnt remains of a classroom in the Beit Hanoun Boy's and Girl's School pic.twitter.com/OrrRP3xpRu [44]
— Dan Cohen (@dancohen3000) August 15, 2014 [45]
Gaza City's Amin Muhammad mosque, where Israeli army sources say demographic threats launched non-Jewish prayers: pic.twitter.com/U82B3FLZQt [46]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 16, 2014 [47]
Inside Gaza City's Amin Muhammad mosque. It was locked and empty when hit. #sociocide [48] pic.twitter.com/x5VwzZPv0t [49]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 16, 2014 [50]
Fadel Alawah drove a wounded man to a hospital, not knowing he was a fighter. Here's what a drone did to his car: pic.twitter.com/84GTpgPxSo [51]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 16, 2014 [52]
Fadel Alawah's shoe remains inside the taxi he worked in for 12 hours a day at $8 an hour #PT [53] pic.twitter.com/ZFFxoTaPP9 [54]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 16, 2014 [55]
I keep finding seared shoes around Gaza. I can't say what they remind me of. This was in Shujaiya: pic.twitter.com/Wuz8n39MMP [56]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 16, 2014 [57]
The family of Salem Shamali, who was killed on video by Israeli sniper while looking for them http://t.co/iXU3n1Acv7 [58] pic.twitter.com/1WcvLmUil2 [59]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 16, 2014 [60]
The mother of Salem Shamali breaks down after rewatching @AymanM [61]‘s report on her son's execution by Israeli sniper pic.twitter.com/Wc03HkFpFj [62]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 16, 2014 [63]
Waseem Shamali misses his big brother, Salem. He can't talk about him without crying. pic.twitter.com/xxMb7Xld0j [64]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 16, 2014 [65]
The Shamali family has not received justice for their son Salem's murder. Instead they've been given these: pic.twitter.com/BSJ852r5mR [66]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 16, 2014 [67]
Hamza Masri stands before his ruined home in Beit Hanoun and insists there are some good Israelis despite Netanyahu. pic.twitter.com/OjQpiBOcwj [68]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 16, 2014 [69]
Hamza Masri is 62. He has met Israeli Jews. His grandkids grew up under siege. “The only Jews we meet are in tanks,” one tells me. #PT [53]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 16, 2014 [70]
Shujaiya, Beit Hanoun, Gaza City – some of my and @dancohen3000 [3]‘s photos: https://t.co/khLya386zI [71]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) August 16, 2014 [72]
Follow our in-depth coverage: #Gaza: Civilian Death Toll Mounts in Israeli Offensive [73]