This evening, we were invited to the family house of Mona, one of our colleagues in Gaza. She belongs to the highly educated elite (as does most of ANERA’s staff, having both education and a job, rather well paid as well), with good upbringing and excellent connections. One of her brothers is the mayor of Gaza City, the other one an investment banker. Mona is the head of our successful milk for preschooler program.

 

Normally we do not go outside on our own in Gaza right now as a security precaution, but here I could not resist sneaking around the corner to take a photo. Over the busy road hangs a big yellow banner proclaiming “Mo more threats for our foreign visitors and guests”. It was signed “HAMAS”. I just had to take a photo. The Hamas soldiers guarding the street corner didn’t mind that I included them in the shot

 

Mona’s family’s house was a magnificent old-style villa with a huge garden. Here we mingled with some of our Gaza-staff and their spouses, talked about politics (of course) but also traditions and habits. Rania, my equivalent in Gaza as a PR Officer for ANERA will be married tomorrow. That is of course a huge step in life anywhere in the world, but here it is incomprehensively big. From being a single (and therefore a highly guarded virgin) living with her family, she will be a married woman living with her husband. For a westerner, it is like going from being 12 year old to 22, overnight. At least when it comes to the opposite sex and everything related to grown up-matters.