Abby Martin’s Film Gaza Fights For Freedom Humanizes World’s Largest Concentration Camp
GAZA, OCCUPIED PALESTINE — In her new documentary film, Gaza Fights for Freedom, journalist Abby Martin places the Gaza Strip under a microscope for the viewers to see. The result is an excellent movie that is difficult to watch, and disturbing at times, precisely because it presents a true, realistic view of life in Gaza. The movie shows how a small, courageous nation — locked up in the world’s largest concentration camp, facing inexcusable, unjustifiable and unforgivable violence — refuses to give up on its hopes and dreams and continues to fight for life.
Nothing left but bones
Heroism and cliches aside, the conditions in the Gaza Strip are horrifying. As one father interviewed in the movie says: “We are alive only by name… Gaza is no longer Gaza; all that is left of it are bones.” He may be referring to the distant past when the city of Gaza was one of the most important, prosperous and prestigious cities not only in Palestine but in the entire Middle East.
Perhaps what is most refreshing about Martin’s work is that the voices one hears are clear, authentic, Gazan voices. She makes no attempt to create the artificial “balance” one too often has to endure in movies and reports about Palestine in general and Gaza in particular. As though the Israelis who kill and maim and keep 2.2 million civilians caged and under siege in the Gaza Strip have a right to be heard. As though an explanation or justification can be given to the sheer cruelty and brutality exercised by Israel.
More than just bombs
Israel kills people in Gaza in more ways than one might imagine. While bombs make the headlines, the other methods are more subtle and rarely make it to the headlines. In Gaza Fights for Freedom, all of these draconian methods are brought to light. Here are a few examples:
- It is no secret that if we want to kill people, other than shooting them, denying them water is a sure bet. Some 98 percent of the freshwater in the Gaza Strip is toxic and unfit for human consumption.
- Food insecurity has been the reality in Gaza for many years. Israel allows only enough food to enter so as to avoid total starvation. Similar to the German policy of counting calories in the concentration camps during World War II, Israel too uses calorie counting in Gaza.
- Electricity is available only sporadically and people go for 16 to 20 hours per day with no power. This means water pumps do not work. The danger of fire increases due to the extensive use of candlelight; medicine that requires refrigeration goes bad. Operation rooms in hospitals cannot function.
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