In Khan Younis a family of 26 people including children age 2- 17 years of age,live in the basement of a house, since the Israelis incursion into the area three days ago.My friend, one of the sons in the house is expecting his first child to be born, in about three months. He got married last summer, it was a big wedding and mostly happy time, despite the Israeli siege and frequent assaults on Gaza, the new married and happy could not believe the future would be so terrible.

Bombs are blasting, hitting their targets and heavy machine gun fire can be heard not far away from the house. This winter is unusually cold in Gaza.The windows in the basement room is open the new married have searched shelter as a safety, if closed the force and the heat from the bombings will break them.My friend who called me today, for advise regarding what is believed to be labor- pain, very early contractions of cervix, they are both very worried they will lose their first child.

I have spend hours making phone calls to the hospitals in the Khan Younis area,only to find out that the lines are busy, most of the time the signals does not go through, it is very bad telecommunications in Gaza and the situation gets even worse..it is chaotic.After one hour of calling, finally my call was picked up, I was told to call back on Sunday morning, a few hours from now. I am also calling the sister in law of another friend she is a nurse, and a " midwife",use to work for UNRWA, I found out she have left Gaza with her family. I am very worried for them all,I am worried for the life of the little infant, and for the parents.

My friend has a cold, he say he is shivering from the coldness in the house. He told me he is very upset, he is polling out the last pages of some of his books and journals from the library.The pages in the books will make some warmth in the room,he told me he felt sick watching the books burning to charcoal in the open fire place, books have a very high value in Gaza,they are expensive and very difficult to find, in particular scholary; research and reference litterateur,since the Israeli blockade of shipments to Gaza began, 18 months ago.All that was left of food in the house in the morning is almost gone, so is the drinking water and the electricity, last only 1.5-2 of the 24 hours. "We are praying, Inshallah we will survive the heavy bombings, and we are hoping the Israelis will not come to the house.You know here in KhanYounis no one is really safe today we have no where to hide.." .. is the last words I hear..the phone line was cut of.