This has just been received this afternoon on the 30th of July 2025 AD - from Mahmoud Baroud PhD Exeter - husband of Mona, and father of six children. Gaza 30-07-2025
Killing and bombing are still ongoing. There is now widespread starvation and hunger everywhere. We are unable to move or walk because of a lack of food, especially flour.
Thieves steal food aid and sell this at astronomic prices, money dealers take a 45% commission to get shekels. These are indeed the most difficult times due to genocide, and famine. We dream night and day how to secure a little food to survive and remain alive in this unjust world.
Gaza Strip
Mercilessblitz on starvingGaza —growing numbers
ofdeadand injured
Victims 28-29July2025:
113more killed and 637wounded
Since dawn, Israeli air strikes, missile-launches and gunfire on homes, as well as medical and other facilities, have resulted in 113people dead and 637wounded. Civil Defence crews retrieved onemore bodyfrom underneath bomb-damaged property, bringing the total number now killed in Gaza, since 7 October 2023, to at least 60,034. The total wounded is now at least 145,870.
The daily average number of men, women and children killed in Gaza is at least 90 and, that of those injured, is more than 221. A UN report states that, as of 14 January 2025, around 70% of those killed in Gaza were women and children.
This letter was sent to the local Mid Devon Advertiser yesterday
Dear Letters Editor, sending 8.04 BST 29-07-25
I must add to the unfinished letter from Jeremy Hall of Crockernwell in last week's MDA. I know Palestine and Gaza well having been there ten times, and twice with Sue my wife. Many older readers will know that the first visit was the Voyage of the Dove and the Dolphin that started in Torquay 1-02-2003. This was announced regionally and then nationally 4 weeks earlier. There was rapid support from many - mostly older, many of whom had served in our armed forces in the 'Middle' East around World War 2. The £20,000 that came in quickly was used to purchase symbolic aid to an impoverished people trapped in a small strip of land. This included 40 tons of organic flour from Shipton Mill, a tonne of honey from Devon beekeepers, Greek olive oil etc. 1.6 tonnes of waste wool was given by the mill at Buckfast and later woven into fine rugs, hand bags and cushion covers by 'Sawaf' and his young weavers.
That first visit is summarised below with the link to the 20 minute film entitled Eyes Open Gaza. It shows clearly that genocide of the native people was the continued aim of the Israeli government, supported by a large majority of its 'jewish' citizens. (As a universalist I try to avoid ethnic/racial labels.) The fact is that the genocide started in 1948 and is well recorded by Professor Ilan Pappe of Exeter University in his book 'The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine'. There is much historical record of this most evil plan started in all reality just 3 years after the concentration camps were opened by Russian and other Allied forces. It is captured in the words of David Ben Gurion/David Grün who was born in Poland and who lead this Zionist campaign. "'The Arabs' are to be removed - as stones from the field."
The most terrible suffering of 'these people of the land of milk and honey' has continued over the 77 years since. Gaza has been bombed repeatedly and been under siege since 2005. I have been there in the aftermaths. And every night I saw the tracer flashes of machine gun fire as soldiers of the Israeli 'Defence' Force fired on Palestinian fishermen. They were attempting to catch precious protein for an often starving population with an average income per head of 1.6 dollars!
Since the 10th of October 2003 when 'air strikes' started, an holocaust has been set in motion and this has been supported fully by the current UK government lead by Sir Keir Starmer and David Lammy, Foreign Secretary. This is simply defined as 'mass murder by humans'. The holocausts of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are being commemorated presently and these ultimate holocausts are discussed in my website < dhalpin.infoaction.org.uk> if the reader searches 'hypocrisy'. International law is seen to be absent whilst billions of fellow humans witness elemental evil and suffering beyond description. Consider - hospitals and schools bombed flat, hundreds of medical staff, journalists murdered and thousands upon thousands of mothers and children. There have been only wily, cold 'words' from western leaders and a majority of the Arab entities/dictatorships.
What might the reader do as the suffering mounts and World War 3 is threatened? At least bring our evil government to account.
Why The Voyage To Gaza?1st February 2003 12.00 hrs The Voyage of The Dove and The Dolphin
I have been asked many times why we are making this voyage to Ashdod and Gaza. Firstly we know that many families there live in crushing poverty. The malnutrition rate in the children is reported to be 50% and rising. We are taking about 55 tons of essential foodstuffs. We are also of course taking ourselves and thus demonstrating our common humanity.
Secondly we are pointing the ship at a country which has been the centre of conflict and bitter dispute for 55 years. This demonstrates the bankruptcy of political institutions, both in this country and abroad. The priority should be to bring justice and peace to the Palestinian people and not to wreak yet more havoc in countries like Iraq.
Thirdly, we will sail a course which is almost the same as the warships being sent by the bombers Blair and Bush. Our little ship represents all that is opposite. We stand for justice and peace and against the irrational and the destructive.
In the weeks following 11-9-01 and when the high altitude bombing of the Afghan people was starting, there were bumper stickers on cars in Florida which read "Nuke them till they glow". Millions of people in the UK are repulsed by such violence and hatred. Instead they would agree with the surgeon who says that "We should do our best to heal and not to harm’’
David Halpin MB BS FRCS Dartmoor 0044 1364 661115 Link https://youtu.be/CdTJG2ZswUg
