after the first strikes on Gaza during Israel's 23 day massacre of the 365 km2 Strip (within which the Palestinians of Gaza were imprisoned, without bomb shelters or safe havens) , nurses in Shifa hospital's ICU describe some of the patients on their deathbeds. * Shifa Hospital: "brain matter out" after the first strikes on Gaza during Israel's 23 day massacre of the 365 km2 Strip (within which the Palestinians of Gaza were imprisoned, without bomb shelters or safe havens) , nurses in Shifa hospital's ICU describe some of the patients on their deathbeds. Dr Khaled from Shifa hospital ICU told me today around 10 that the majority of cases in the ICU are critical, with an approx 80% who will not survive. The normally 12-bed ICU was caring for twice as many as normally capable, extra beds and extra rooms made to care for ICU patients. At that time, the 24 beds in the ICU were the 4th shift of critically injured, the former 3 having died from their injuries. There is a critical need for more ICU beds, as well as mechanical ventilators the majority of injuries were “multi-explosive injuries” with a concentration of head injuries (“head trauma”) resulting from the explosions, from shrapnel in the brain. Other injuries included abdominal injuries resulting in internal bleeding, from shrapnel in the abdomen. The majority of head injuries were not expected to survive, and those who do are expected to have brain damage, some full paralysis (quadroplegea). Because of the shortage of spaces and equipment, the ICU has had to turn patients away, others waiting in the reception until a patient dies and his space can be used. among the critically wounded were a number of children and minors: a six year old down’s syndrom with brain trauma an 11 year old with brain trauma, not likely to survive a 13 year old with a head injury (“brain matter out”) a 21 year old, leg amputated, various shrapnel injuries over body and face, loss of hearing in one ear a 21 year old, braindead, “hopeless” case a man in his fifties, neither police nor resistance a man in his forties, on the beach when struck, head trauma (“brain matter out”) a man in his fifties, head trauma a 53 year old, shrapnel in the brain, no surgery possible many other men in their 20s and 30s, head injuries (shrapnel in brain), and abdominal injuries, some policemen. https://ingaza.wordpress.com/2008/12/28/shifa-icu-a-glimpse-of-hospital-critical-injuries/ ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfI4mm8kUe8

On March 30, I joined hundreds of members of a motorcycle-taxi union colectivo driving their motorcycles through and around Caracas in a show of support for their country and defiance against foreign intervention. These were women and men making a statement with their physical presence: they would not allow their country to be attacked, from within or without. One of the organizers, acutely aware of how colectivos are portrayed, told me, “We are not terrorists, the terrorists have come with that lackey opposition,” and went on to say that governments bring terrorism to Venezuela. Another man at the motorcycle demonstration said: “We are suffering because of terrorism that has been implanted through a US puppet named Juan Guaidó. We say to you Guaidó and we say to you Trump: You took away our water, you took away the light, but you ignited our soul, and we are determined to defend the country with our lives if it is necessary.'” The same bikers later joined up with the tens of thousands of Venezuelan civilians who took to the streets in a festive show of support for President Maduro. Two weeks prior, on March 16, I'd walked for a few hours in another such mass demonstration, filming demonstrators, hearing their opinions on the non-president Guaido, on their support for Maduro, and on their refusal to see their Bolivarian project be destroyed. [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaQ7SdSa9Fg ] ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgFSeI2Km9Q