No no no no!!! He's being stationed in Gaza!!!

[Henna Rose 0]

Olivia ~ Even tho Idaho is not so far away, I wish you were closer to me You can call me anytime! You and your husband are in the homestretch and will be together soon

"No weapon formed against thee shall prosper."

~ Isaiah 54:17

Edited January 14, 2009 by Henna Rose

[Donna A 4]

i think its bread into them from birth to be protectors and fighters. fight for what they feel is right...fight for their country, fight for their religion. protect their country...protect their family...wife...kids. its just who they are. my husband told me once if america ever attacted syria he would have to go there and wouldnt live in a place who is attacking his home. it hurt me very much that he was willing to leave me for a stupid country but thats what he is. so i think ur husband is just supporting what he feels is right. i know it hurts u thinking he put u on the back burner but dont feel that way. easier said then done i know.

[morocco4ever 63]

It sounds like he has a heart of gold. The problem is that you don't deserve any more stress.

I'm sorry Olivia. I wish there was something I could say to ease your heavy heart, but it would only be words.

[maggieNomar 0]

Wow Olivia. What a surprise. I hope you two will get to be together and his time in Rafa will be short.

[AlHayatZween 2]

So sorry for the unexpected news, Olivia!

You have all our prayers and positive thoughts...! (F)

[JanaknJanet 0]

Olivia... Hugs.. I can understand how hard it is for the two of you .. especially looking forward to a bit of light at the edge of the storm.. .. just remember his heart is of gold.. which you have ... keep positive...

[merijan 0]

He said it's Rafa on Gaza Strip & that he volunteered for it after his senior doctor and another doctor volunteered for it. I don't know what he was thinking. He did this to me two years ago when Israel was bombing Lebanon. He wanted to go help then and now he really is going to help. He says he will do good work. He also said it won't affect his release date. I don't know how this will affect me going to Egypt this summer. Lets hope it doesn't. Ack. I have to get ready for classes now.

WOW he sounds like someone you should be so PROUD of ...

[merijan 0]

I also wanted to add that I know the feeling in some small way. Before my husband went to Uk then came here he was in Pakistan. He was a photojournalist he had to cover the tribal areas, the protests , different things that put him in very dangerous situations. So I know its hard.

[bhajishah 4]

Good need someone to step up and help brothers and sisters out finally.

[Sandrila 1]

OLIVIA

I pray for him to be safe and for you to be reunited ASAP

It is very admirable of him to volunteer although I know how upset you must be.

I pray GOD watches over him.

[Popcorn Henry 0]

May God watch over both you and may he be safe!

[MsMariah 0]

Really, he will be helping the people there, he is brave, he is smart, I feel he will be well protected since it's his duty to help people.

Inshallah, Israel is done dropping bombs now... and I don't think they want to spread themselves thin by creating further tensions with Egypt as well.

I pray for peace,

Mariah

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

I've been following the news there each day. I didn't want to say anything about it when I read this but no one is safe until it's over.

Israelis shell hospitals and UN HQ

Friday, January 16, 2009

00:40 Mecca time, 21:40 GMT

Three hospitals and a UN compound have been bombed by Israel as troops continue to advance into the densely-populated Gaza City.

Around 500 people were sheltering in the Al-Quds hospital in the city's southwestern Tal Al-Hawa district when it was bombed by Israeli jets and set ablaze on Thursday morning.

Hospital officials said the fire was sparked by a "phosphorus shell".

"We have been able to control the fire in the hospital but not in the administrative building," one hospital official said.

"We hope that the flames don't spread again to the wings of the hospital."

Two hospitals east of Gaza City were also hit by Israeli shells as Gazans fled tanks advancing into the city.

It was not immediately clear if any casualties following the raids.

UN fire 'still raging'

The Israelis also bombed a UN compound in Gaza City, setting fire to warehouses of badly-needed food and medical aid and prompting international outrage.

Around 700 Palestinians were sheltering in the UN complex at the time of the strikes which left two civilians and three staff members injured.

Adnan Abu Hasna, a spokesman for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (Unrwa), said fires were still raging hours after the attack and "tens of millions of dollars worth of aid" had been destroyed.

John Ging, the director of Unrwa operations in the Strip, also accused the Israelis of using phosphorus shells.

"They are phosphorus fires so they are extremely difficult to put out because, if you put water on, it will just generate toxic fumes and do nothing to stop the burning," he said.

Israel insists all weapons used in the conflict comply with international law.

The attacks came as the number of Palestinians killed in Israel's offensive reached 1,095 with more than 5,100 wounded.

More than 330 children are among the dead and nearly half are civilians.

Thirteen Israelis have died, three of them civilians.

Two buildings housing international journalists in Gaza have also been bombed by Israeli forces.

'Investigation needed'

Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, justified shelling the UN headquarters claiming armed Palestinians within it had fired at Israeli troops first.

"It is absolutely true that we were attacked from that place … but the consequences were very sad and I apologise for it," he said.

However, Christopher Gunness, a spokesman for Unrwa, robustly denied that Palestinian fighters were among refugees sheltering there. "At no stage during the fighting today did any Israeli official pick up the phone and tell us there were militants in our compound.

"We always take action against militants ... there were no militants in our compound and now they [the Israelis] are changing their story, saying militants were 'in the vicinity'," he said.

Gunness called for a "proper investigation" into the incident.

Louis Michel, the European Aid Commissioner, also condemned the bombing of the UN complex, branding it "unacceptable".

"I am deeply shocked and dismayed to learn of this incident ... I have made it very clear that all sides must respect international humanitarian law.

"It is unacceptable that the UN headquarters in Gaza has been struck by Israeli artillery fire," he said.

Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general, strongly condemned the incident and demanded a full explanation from Tzipi Livni, the Israeli foreign minister, during talks held on Thursday in Tel Aviv.

Ban said Ehud Barak, the Israeli defence minister, had apologised for the attack describing it as a "grave mistake".

A Red Crescent office near Gaza City and the main mosque in the southern city of Rafah were also shelled as the Israelis pushed deeper into the Strip.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

oops almost forgot the source for the above article ^ http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleea...3549143408.html

[Ban Hammer 12,900]

food for thought - bombed in the above context means an airplane dropped bombs on it. shelled means it was hit by artillery fire.