Shell-shocked: On the Ground Under Israel’s Gaza Assault
by Mohammed Omer
(OR Books, £14)

THIS is very much the story of Israel’s brutal 2014 attack on Gaza, told from the level of the street.

A grim litany of statistics throughout highlights not only the wholly disproportionate number of Palestinian casualties compared to those of Israel but also the telling fact that the majority of their dead and wounded were complete non-combatants. The effects of the war on children in terms of sheer trauma make for a disturbing read.

Despite the nonsense that the likes of the BBC came out with at the time, the assault was by no means a response to Palestinian aggression, nor should the struggle be seen as some sort of inter-tribal conflict in which both sides were as bad as the other.

In reality, Gaza is a largely unprotected and vulnerable society under siege. Its economy lies in tatters, it lacks control of its borders and its valiant resistance is often hopelessly outgunned by a sophisticated and highly financed war machine.

That Gaza is a tiny and incredibly densely populated area only helps to deepen the tragedy.

On the positive side, the bravery of many a Gazan, fighter and civilian alike, is a complete inspiration, with Omer highlighting the role of medics, rescue workers and ambulance drivers.

Resilient and determined not only to survive but also one day to win, the Gazans’ fight is also marked by the oft-repeated wish to unite across factional boundaries against the common and all too deadly enemy.

Many of the points that the book makes will already be familiar to readers of the Morning Star. Get it in the hands of those to whom it will be a complete revelation.

Steve Andrew