Gaza Strip (2002) User Reviews

Good film, could have been great

[larma7 · 7/10 · 10 July 2011]

These days, as opposed to a few years back when I was far more invested in political discussion, I now am fairly apathetic in political discourse, which is ironic since now I can actually vote. But if there are two issues which I really try not to talk about it is 1) abortion, which is the same old round-about "conversation" which never, ever goes anywhere, and 2) the Israeli/Palestinian conflict in the Middle East. I try to avoid talking about the latter because, seemingly more than any other issue, it feels almost impossible for me to find any kind of coherent truth about this bleak and terrible conflict. My heart lies with the Palestinians, but it seems depending on who I talk to on a certain day, my position could change instantaneously. Obviously, it would help if I actually properly researched the situation, but admittedly it's much easier to just say, screw it, let them kill each other!

Anyway, I had previously watched James Longley's "Iraq in Fragments", his Malick-esque, slice of life look at the Sunni, Shia, and Kurd civil war in the after-math of the US invasion, a beautifully stunning documentary, which merely allows the every-day people of the country to speak, and it helps paint a picture of the true heart of the conflict. I don't look at his previous film, "Gaza Strip", as some kind of educational tool to teach me the "truth" of the nasty, bitter conflict in Israel, and I think the mistake by many is viewing the film in such a context because I don't think that's the goal of the film. What you get here is an arresting account of the conflict in the streets of Gaza with the Palestinian people, following the children as they get shot at by Israeli soldiers, and listening them speak their minds about their life and dreams in a hopeless situation seemingly only filled with horror stories.

Like "Iraq in Fragments", Longley is wise to keep his presence at a distance, with no narration or studio interviews. All the action is told in the heat of the moment, the camera rushes into danger and stays close for the intimate moments. I would probably call this a more urgent film than "Iraq in Fragments", as it doesn't carry with it the same slow, tranquil rhythm, but it still has its moments of being rather hypnotic, and it is overall a well-made film. It's a bit one-note and if you come to this film wanting to see a picture of both-sides, something which I perhaps would have liked, then you will be disappointed. "Gaza Strip" simply offers a unique, up close and personal account of the conflict from the Palestinian side.

It's a good film, but a more full picture of the conflict could have made it a great one

A simple, powerful and sorely-needed documentary

[nigelparry · 10/10 · 30 July 2003]

James Longley's Gaza Strip is a 74-minute documentary filmed between January and April 2001, a period that stretches from four months after the beginning of the Second Palestinian Intifada -- immediately preceding the election of Ariel Sharon as Israel's prime minister -- up to the end of Sharon's third month in office.

"I made this film," Longley notes in the director's commentary that accompanies the very highly recommended DVD version, "to satisfy my own curiosity about what was happening in the Gaza Strip since I found that it was very difficult to find information in the mainstream media and get a detailed look at what was going on, what people there were like, what they were thinking about."

Longley studied film in the United States and Russia. He was awarded a Student Academy Award for a short 1994 documentary, "Portrait of Boy with Dog," about a boy in a Moscow orphanage. Last year, Longley returned his award in protest following the Academy's prejudice against the Palestinian film Divine Intervention.

Gaza Strip centers around another boy, Mohammed Hejazi, a 13-year-old who lives in Gaza City and works as a paper boy. Longley first met Hejazi at the Karni Crossing, an Israeli-controlled border between the northern part of Gaza and Israel proper, the site of regular stone-throwing clashes between Palestinian children and the Israeli military.

Typically, 50-60 kids go once a week to throw stones in what is primarily a symbolic gesture due to a murderous geography that places the Israeli checkpoint temptingly out of stone-throwing reach but well within rifle range of the Israeli soldiers stationed there. The casualties among children, confirmed by human rights organisations, have been high, despite no credible threat to the soldiers. Longley had read of these young kids in a New York Times article and sought them out as documentary subjects. "They're not really doing anything effective against the occupation and they know this," says Longley, "but they are resisting it, in their own way."

The cheeky Hejazi is not representative of other Palestinian kids his age in that he is a high school dropout whereas Palestinian families typically place a high priority on education. Indeed, Mohammed's elder brother ranked second academically in his age range in all of Gaza and all his other school age siblings were doing very well. But his disassociative outlook on life and the survival humor that he employs to overcome his desperate situation speaks of every one of Gaza's children. All children dream and imagine. In war, children dream of liberating their land and imagine lives outside the oppressive confines of their life. Mohammed is such a dreamer, incredibly articulate for his age.

Gaza Strip has no narration in the cinema verite tradition of realism, presenting commentary from Mohammed and others as is, with easy-to-read subtitles for non-Arabic speakers. Time after time in the documentary, Palestinians are given ample space to express their shockingly down-to-earth opinions.

Against a background of donkey carts and bogged-down cars struggling along Gaza's beach to circumvent Israeli checkpoints in the ongoing struggle to maintain a normal life -- no matter what -- Longley presents vox pop commentaries from a situationally 'democratic' trudging line of Palestinians from all walks of life, making their way along the shore. Scenes like this are a punch in the stomach, undeniably bringing home the central fact of life under occupation -- it is not only Palestinian militants that the on-the-ground mechanisms of occupation target, but every Palestinian. The common sense apparent in the complaints of all reveals the strong grounding that conflict brings to people that must live in it, as well as a desperately-needed antidote to the impression left by images of Palestinian violence and demonstrations that disproportionately fill our television screens.

This same space is given in the aftermath of the death of a child who picked up a disguised explosive device, left behind by an Israeli tank. Similarly, we are forced to confront the unquestionable normality of parents and children in the disturbing medical aftermath of an Israeli deployment of nerve gas against Palestinian civilians. This last point underlines why this documentary meets a critical need. "It was strange to me," says Longley, "that this particular incident never made it out into the mainstream media, especially in the US." On 12 February 2001, following an Israeli attack involving a gas with characteristics clearly different from and much more severe than the ubiquitous teargas, 50 people were brought with severe reactions to Amal and Nasser hospitals in Khan Younis. The following week saw this figure rise to a total of 200 people, still suffering ill effects from the gas, including violent and painful convulsions.

Evenly balanced between scenes of individual tragedy and vistas of mass suffering, Gaza Strip is a compelling portrait of human life during wartime, a powerful tool for explaining in simple terms what is wrong with the Israeli or indeed any long term foreign military occupation, and a call for us to pay attention to situations our governments underwrite that generate deserved hostility from our other neighbours on this planet.

The documentary works to dispel a number of pervasive myths about the conflict that have rendered Palestinians into 2D in the world's media: that Palestinian parents permit their children to participate in stone throwing or even indeed know of their participation; that all Palestinians stand behind Yasser Arafat; that Israel's use of military force is proportional or even aimed at actual Palestinian combatants; and that the Palestinian people do not want peace with Israelis. All these notions are exposed as patent nonsense in Gaza Strip, where you meet Joe and Jane Palestinian for yourself.

There is much more that could be said about this simple but powerful documentary but -- in brief -- this testimony is sorely needed and deserves as wide an audience as possible. Do your part for this excellent independent film. Buy it now and give a copy to everyone you know.

Poignant snapshot of a harsh reality

[Sysyphys · 10/10 · 21 October 2005]

One of the rare productions which shows the reality on the ground. Just because some viewers are so callous and biased against the oppressed & occupied people that they cannot relate with them does not mean that all that is said is BS.

Watch this documentary to see the other side of what the mainstream media exposes you to. Of course it will be difficult for the smugly ignorant to digest what has been shown. The suffering of the common Palestinians and their kids because of the oppressive policies of Israel has been shown through the perspective of children.

This kind of treatment meted out to occupied helpless Arabs by a people who themselves suffered terribly under Hitler makes you think what makes them forget their own suffering in the Holocaust when it comes to dealing with the Arabs.

silly rabbits, bombs are for kids

[mikhail-7 · 1 September 2005]

a must see movie. warning: this movie is not an attempt to give you the 'news'. James is simply trying to go behind the closed door and reveal the fact that (drumroll) Palestinians are human beings! something that if you've read some of the other reviews you might have missed. how can you argue and whine and moan about whether or not he should have included interviews with Jews or gone to terrorist training camps? its like saying he should have included a shot of a pink elephant flying on a little purple cloud because, by god, i like purple clouds, its absolutely irrelevant. the movie, as other sane people have pointed out,is not about the history of the conflict or who is right or wrong, it simply shows people in their most honest and straightforward forms. you are free to watch and make your own decision about what you believe, an allowance that many docs avoid by inserting preachy commentary and questionable statistics etc...also, i find it interesting how vehemently these haters deny the facts as they are presented. people being brought into a hospital suffering from horrible wounds, paralysing gasses etc...perhaps these were all special effects? i don't know, but i do know James and i have seen most of the 70 some hours of footage that he shot and i can say that the film that he has made is tragic, beautiful and real, more than many other films can claim. and no matter where you stand on the issue there is no denying that the people, the human beings, living in this part of the world are suffering. of course that doesn't mean that others aren't as well, it is simply a mirror held up to our faces that we should look into deeply so that we can all make better choices in the future. anyway, thats my 2 cents. thanks James, keep up the good work!

More than an excellent documentary, a cry for freedom

[philo_lund42 · 10/10 · 16 October 2004]

Not only is this film a great example of verite documentary film-making, but it has the courage to take a moral stand and point of view in this extremely controversial conflict. At a time when almost all mainstream media has chosen to forget that the Israelis are militarily occupying the Palestinian Territories, "Gaza Strip" steps forward and pulls out all the stops to show the reality that gets left out of major news reporting.

Following a free-form thread of characters and events, the films starts out through the eyes of a 13-year-old paper boy in Gaza. He resurfaces throughout the film and provides a base of narration that carries us through the entire length of the Gaza Strip, from Gaza City to Raffa and Khan Yunis. The scenes in this film are each powerful on their own, but together they are a bleak testimony of the horror of occupation, and a cry for freedom.

NOT A DOCUMENTARY Shockingly Untruthful and full of errors,

[boycott_npr · 1/10 · 6 August 2003]

This video follows the life of a young Arab boy who has been raised in a racist society that teaches youngsters to become murderers (they call them martyrs) from a young age. However much of this part of Palestinian life is conveniently left out so that the viewer can feel compassion for all Arabs in Gaza. The problem with this video are the incessant lies.

The maker of this video claims that Israelis used poison gases on Gaza residents. While he was not present when this supposedly happened he takes the word of those spreading this myth, without any proof that it occurred.

The Palestinians in the video blame Israel for their misery, when in fact it is Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat who continues to horde millions of dollars earmarked for refugees. This money goes to support his terrorist groups instead.

Another problem with the video is the lack of subtitles when it is blatantly necessary. Palestinian children scream things like "Death to the Jews", yet James Longley, the maker of the film, leaves this out in order to make it look like the Arabs in Gaza just want peace and freedom.

The film is supposed to be only about Palestinians and I guess that is why no Israelis are interviewed, even though thousands live in Gaza. What is troubling is that Longley does not show all facets of Palestinian society, namely the terrorists groups that operate out of Gaza and murdered more than 10 Israelis during this filming. What he does show is the aftermath of an Israeli retaliation for a Palestinian terror attack, although this of course is only shown from the Palestinian perspective as injured terrorists dressed in olive military uniforms are wheeled into a hospital after being on the losing side of a battle with Israeli Defense Forces.

Some scenes in the film are so obviously cut and pasted together, such as a tank rolling through the streets one night, and a scene following this that attempts to make it seem like it happened within the same time frame. However the different lighting on the film and different soundtrack show an obvious lack of continuity which is evident to anybody who has made a home video.

In short this video was made by an amateur and looks like it too. The lack of subtitles makes it hard to follow at times because you want to know what is being discussed. I would not recommend this film to anyone, unless of course you are interested in making propaganda films for gullible sheep.

The Truth needs no props or stunts, but an open-mind

[Abstraction1 · 10/10 · 19 April 2006]

This movie is just footage shot in Gaza.

No Camera Effects, no Superstars dancing about, no Stuntmen Jumping off buildings, no Hollywood Nonsense...

It provides evidence as too how the treatment of Palestine people is way below par.

Current days, in the media, you don't hear much how Palestine people die, you just just hear they are dead nothing else.

This shows, the treatment of the people, the motives of the people who grow upto fight against the oppression. How their families are kidnapped By the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). How the Children have to live in Disgusting Houses, all because they are betrayed by Arab Leaders and UN and most of all US Forces.

The cruel Treatment of Females and Children by IDF forces, and how the IDF forces do not punish their incompetent soldiers Watching this provides evidence...

Its pure footage, so no lies.

Those who are close minded cannot understand the basic semantics of this, as you can see by their hate-filled "reviews".

Just give it a watch, and you sill learn something.

Peace

a discussion I have with the director, Mr. James Longley

[royal99 · 3/10 · 15 June 2005]

I had a discussion with the director of this movie not a while ago about other film, "death in Gaza" which I think clearly states his opinion, even before shooting this film, about the middle east conflict, and how I myself view his so called documentary. everyone can understand from this whatever they want. you can find it in: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0412631/board/nest/12270140 he start his comments from the middle of the thread.

Oh, and by the way, someone here stated in his comments that "There is a huge attempt to smash this film's reputation by writing bad user comments about it -- but check it out: The only kind of reviews "Gaza Strip" gets are either GREAT or "Don't see this film -- it's just lies". Let's see if you can guess who's writing those critical reviews ... could it be ... Zionist supporters of Israeli occupation policy? Hmmm..." well the only thing i can say for this is: 1. if the really bad reviews are from 'zionists supporters' then maybe the really good reviews are from.... .hmm... let me see.... pro Arabs or pro Palestinians maybe. it goes either way guys. the fact is that it doesn't matter if the facts are true or not, this film is not very good by itself. connect to reality. everyone who writes here has political or religious agenda. 2. The fact that you use the word 'zionist' to describe Israeli actions, is ignorant, raciest and just plain dumb. no one here in Israel, and i live here, believes in Zionism anymore. its something of the past, so get over it already. thanks bye

very powerful and informative

[sonialena · 10/10 · 8 December 2003]

This is an excellent documentary. The mainstream American media's portrayal of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict is extremely biased in favor of Israel. Too often we only see Palestinians as terrorists and do not see the atrocities that Israel commits against the Palestinians. American citizens need to know what we are supporting when we give Israel billions of dollars every year, and I think this documentary is an important step in that process. The documentary's theme of the way children are affected by war will move anyone, regardless of their stance on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.

The Settlements the Gas, and this & that

[captbeefheart6 · 9/10 · 10 March 2005]

Those that have posted negative reviews somehow managed to make several interesting mistakes that suggest that they too are cherry-picking the facts; (1) they somehow just blunder right over and completely ignore the fortified Jewish-Settlements built in the Palestinian-Territories. Remember that when they complain about this documentary ignoring their litany of complaints. (2) Others complained about the poison gas rumors, I don't know if its true or not, but those who claimed no proof was provided evidently weren't watching when the doctor from Doctors Without Borders provided her diagnosis and video footage of the affected people going through whatever it was they were going through was presented. Remember that when they complain about this documentary ignoring their litany of complains. Further more, this documentary was not intended to provide a clear and concise look at the conflict going right back to 'the beginning' and providing a clear and concise look at all the atrocities, crimes/war-crimes, forced removal from land, etc that all parties have committed – you want that go watch PBS, Frontline, the BBC or something. It was meant to go look at the people living in the Gaza Strip, and see who they were, what their lives were like, what they live through, etc. There is no way to justify the intentional & deliberate killing of civilians, to even attempt to is give up all claims to humanity, and this is a standard we must apply to all of us. Finally while I consider myself a pacifist, I don't know how long I'd be able to continue denouncing all forms of violence from my Parisian-café while Nazi-German troops patrolled the streets, or while selling newspapers on a street-corner in the Gaza Strip and peoples homes are demolished and refugee camps are established so that those who have a rather odd interpretation of their religion can take other peoples land for themselves. (Note: I do not intended to compare Nazi-Germany with Israel and its Jewish-Settlements, if you see it other wise then I apologize. It is merely to provide a historical example of which there is little or no argument over the validity of, i.e. the French-Resistance)

Good sided film with a story to tell

[kristoffe-brodeur · 10/10 · 15 July 2006]

The most interesting thing about films like this is that I too make films about the world. I got the knack for it after I was in NYU, but for performance art, then to finish in Socio-linguistics. I make films about poverty, gross distortions of wealth vs. broken down humanity, just like this but not as grande a scale. The first thing that struck me was the child in the beginning playing hot dog in-front of the camera for attention and saying things to egg on his friends. Through the film he is first disjointed, immobilized, and then slowly torn to pieces.

Seeing the people in such chaos and poor conditions could make anyone hope for the best in their situtation. What we don't see is suicide bombers, the Arabic countries attacking on all fronts and creating a hopeful holocaust again after WWII. I think it is terrible what is happening to these Arabic people because they are being used as a chess piece, and they're only a rook. They don't even realize it.

It's not about holy land, it's about racial pride and land ownership and everyone cries for both sides. If the world gobbled up Israel and Palestine along with Lebanon and you name it, we'd all be in a more peaceful state. That is until someone notices there's no fake thing to fight for, and then someone else's nation state gets hammered by all sides.

The rich and powerful countries always play their dirty games of power in a metaphorical state in tiny places like this. We are billion strong and yet there's nothing we can do to stop it. No one has the power to stop the largest forces in the world, which are connected to money, not land. To stop this type of atrocity, you'd have to give up the internet, microwave ovens, and cheap oil, gas, haircare products, and your sneakers would have to look poor.

Who'se first in line to give that up? Anyone?

2005 Baytowne Film Festival

[deadclowncollege · 20 November 2005]

The documentary Gaza Strip is about the conflict in the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip and the ordinary lives of the Palestinians who live there. In particular, we see a lot of Mohammed Hejazi, a young boy who risks getting shot every day to throw rocks at Israeli tanks. This documentary was filmed with no tripods, lights, or external microphones on location over the course of 100 days. As an objective account of its subject, Gaza Strip fails. Historians will be dissatisfied, and those desiring a complete, objective account of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict either in Gaza Strip or at large will raise the expected objections (we see nothing from the Israeli's point of view). But the film does succeed at giving us an idea of everyday life in that cramped, narrow strip of land in the Middle East, and showing how solving our conflicts through violence begets more violence and can probably only at best serve as a temporary means.

Don't take this for a balanced or complete portrayal

[sulaco-11 · 3/10 · 1 August 2006]

The one thing this movie demonstrates beyond a shadow of a doubt is that Gaza is an excruciating place in which to live. But this movie should not be taken as a balanced or complete assessment of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Israelis have no representative in this film, and they remain faceless the whole time. That's okay...it's clear the film isn't meant to show both sides. Clearly the images in this film will arouse sympathy. But this film is as notable for what it omits as it is for what it shows.

There is firing through the whole movie, although it is unclear who is firing at whom or why. The assumption is that it is the Israelis, firing for no particularly good reason, or because they are simply cruel. A child is blown up by a booby trap he finds after crawling through the border fence. The assumption is that it the Israelis left it, but couldn't it have just as easily been left by a Palestinian militant? A squalid Palestinian emergency room fills with male victims. Were they civilians callously gunned down by the Israelis? Or were they combatants firing on Israelis, or maybe even just victims of an innocent car crash? And how come they weren't taken to an Israeli hospital, which in spite of the violence remain available to Palestinians, are often closer than Palestinian hospitals and always offer superior care? Dozens of Palestinians wind up in the hospital with strange symptoms after being exposed to what the Israeli troops say is tear gas. The assumption is that it was poison gas, but if that was true, wouldn't all the victims die? An elderly Palestinian woman relates how Israeli troops tried to run her over with a bulldozer, although apparently she isn't so elderly that she can't outrun a bulldozer.

What I find the most fascinating about this film is the window it opens onto the Palestinian mind. There is no laughter, no hope, no love of life, no aspiration to build something better. It's almost as if they can imagine no other way to live. I was left wanting to ask so many questions of the Palestinians on the screen. I would ask how much responsibility for their misery would they assign to, say, Arafat, who walked away from a dream offer that would have given the Palestinians a state in 2000, and whose widow lives in Parisian luxury on millions in foreign aid that was meant to improve the Palestinians' quality of life. I would ask how much they blame Barak, who they mock even though he offered peace, or the U.S., whose then-President Clinton convinced Barak to put the offer on the table. To what extent do they blame other Muslim nations, who voice solidarity but refuse to accept them as refugees, and offer little humanitarian help? How much do they blame Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other Palestinian militant groups, who fire at Israeli civilians and soldiers from behind Palestinian human shields? I would ask them if they believe the Israelis have a right to protect their children, and if they think they have the right to, for example, close a road or build a wall to do so. I would ask what, exactly, is preventing them from having their own state. Why haven't they built anything better for themselves, and is that Israel's fault, too? To the boy at the beginning of the film who chooses weapons over food, I would ask if it would be Israel's fault if he starved. And to the Red Cross representative who at the end of the film helpfully points out that Israel's settlements are illegal under the Geneva Convention, I would ask what the Geneva Convention has to say about the targeting of innocent noncombatants, as has become the hallmark of Palestinians' many violent advocates.

Clearly this movie begs many more questions than it answers.

Some of these questions, perhaps, can be answered by the short film Pallywood. (http://www.seconddraft.org/cur_invest.php) It is this film's ideal companion piece.

hard-hitting and extraordinary

[tomniery · 10/10 · 17 May 2005]

This film re-defines for me what documentary film-making should be like. No talking heads, no tired analysis ... this film gives you what you've been waiting for: a street-level look at the reality on the ground inside the Gaza Strip.

You could read books about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict forever and not get the kind of immediacy and understanding of what is taking place that this documentary provides.

Instead of doing what most made-for-TV films do -- which is to rely on a scripted narration to make whatever point or analysis they're pushing -- this film goes back to the style of verite film-making, direct cinema, or whatever it's called now. There is no scripted narration in this film. In "Gaza Strip," the main narrative anchor is a 13-year-old newspaper boy -- we in the audience are placed into his shoes, seeing the world from his angle. The filmmaker just lets the camera roll, and the world unfolds around us. More documentaries should have the guts and the patience to do this.

Not even good enough to be called a film

[c_reg777 · 1/10 · 3 August 2003]

This show of lies and half-truths should not have even been allowed to be rated for IMDB. There are complete myths that are spoken of as truths in this film. The claim of "poison gas" being used on Palestinians is blood libel against Israelis. This film had horrible editing, cutting from scenes of gunshots to people who were supposedly injured from these incidents with absolutely no evidence to support it.

The filmmaker Longley is unknown and does not even give explanations about his claims of poison gas, which is most likely tear gas. if it were poison gas, this incident would have been in every major newspaper around the country. Documentaries are supposed to show both sides of a story with objectivity. This was merely an anti-Israel propaganda film.

Raw and Shocking, A Must See.

[zunji · 10/10 · 2 March 2003]

If you get your info about life in the Palestinian Territories from the media, and not by direct account of people who live there, then you have to see this documentary. In other words, EVERYONE HAS to see this documentary. Longley (director) just rolls the camera and doesn't narrate. The unmistakable message from watching this is realizing that the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) has little regard for any human life that is not jewish - bringing out the paradox of a nation (Israel) renowned for its democracy, and hiding tabooed racial discrimination of non-jews. The daily opression of Palestinians will make you shed more than a few tears. I saw Gaza Strip in New York City, and at times people were weeping in the theatre. The most enraging detail of the film is watching Palestinian men and women convulsing in bid-ridden agony for days at a time after inhaling a type of nerve gas that the IDF launched in a residential area.

Palestinain doctors did not have the antidote for that poison, and so innocent people suffered. Violations of basic human rights, using nerve agents at peoples' homes, Israel's immunity form international law, and its brutal torture and demoralization of an entire civilian population trapped in their homes by curfews and in their slums by tanks, makes this documentary a very powerful one indeed.

If you think the conflict is about religion think again.

[Oscar Alvarez · 9/10 · 13 September 2003]

This documentary is quite simply a must see for anyone seeking information regarding the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. If you liked Heart & Minds or Bowling for Columbine prepare to be floored. The directing isn't top notch in the least however the story pulls you in and leaves you enraged upon the realization that the United States is and has been perpetrating apartheid and murder by proxy. It's true the film focuses on the lives of Palestinian youth and families but this is fitting as the scope required to cover both sides is too grand. Aside from this the media here in the United States in both print and television is so biased towards the Israeli side that the Palestinians are merely reduced to out of context and seemingly irrational sound clips leading the public to the skewed and crafted conclusion that all Arabs are demonic pariahs. The film is oddly reminiscent of Gillo Pontecorvo's masterpiece The Battle of Algiers except that this is actually a documentary. If you get an opportunity to see this film you simply cannot miss it.

A must see documentary; from production to it's content, Gaza Strip is not short of excellent.

[h0rse_m0rse · 10/10 · 23 February 2004]

I feel sad to see some of the comments posted about this movie, it really is not filled with "lies" and "half-truths" simply because the documentary is not aiming to give the viewer a political analysis of the Palestinian & Israeli conflict, rather it is giving a grassroots view of the reality of the lives of the children living on the Gaza Strip.

You will watch and hear the views and opinions shaped by these children because of the oppresive and tyrannical way Israel has imposed itself on the lives of the people of Palestinian. The documentary does an excellent job in getting the truth out, as these children see it.

The quality of the production is very impressive and the documentary has been superbly directed.

Apart from the content presented to the viewer, I enjoyed the documentary especially because of the style it has been filmed, directed and presented.

By influence of your political stance on the Palestine-Israel conflict, you may find yourself appreciating just the style rather than the content of the documentary. I, after having watched the documentary a number of times, find myself enjoying everything about it.

My rating: 10/10

THIS IS NO documentary, Documentaries have FACTS

[craig-eisenberg · 1/10 · 14 May 2004]

I was disappointed with this film, it's one thing to document life in a terrorist hotbed controlled by Islamist extremists, but it's a whole separate thing to selectively film life in Gaza to the point that it becomes un-truthful. I can't help but wonder that if films like these made by the Nazis to carry out crimes against Jews had been stopped the Holocaust may not have been as devastating as it was. Humans with morals must demand blatant lies and false-reporting to be absent from things labeled "Documentary".

Gaza was historically a Jewish home, (not discussed in the film) but through exiles & Arab riots nearly the entire Jewish population was driven out, the same thing happened in Hebron in 1929. This film does not show a single Jewish person on film, even though they accuse them of everything from giving poison laced candy to children to using nerve gas (Both accusations have been without merit and proven FALSE)

Gaza schoolchildren are taught some of the most vile anti-Semitism in schools, mosques and on children's TV programs, why was this not shown in the "Documentary"?

Hamas terrorists control many of the citizens lives in this area, but why were none of them shown or heard from?

A film that documents the Palestinian government sponsored media shows this. It's Relentless: the Struggle For Peace in Israel

It is interesting the people like Longley choose to make one-sided films against peaceful nations like Israel, maybe next time he should choose Jordan (they murdered 10,000 Palestinians in one month in 1970, MORE THAN HAVE DIED IN THIS CONFLICT IN 3 YEARS!) Of course evil propaganda films like Gaza Strip are never made about places that really do violate Human Rights.

There are a couple myths in need of diffusing in this film as well. The Palestinians have a long history of accusing Israel and Jews of ridiculous things. (A simple search for Palestinians + allege + Israel in Google will show you these ridiculous lies) In the past they have accused Jewish doctors of giving AIDS to Arab children, IRONICALLY this week a Palestinian doctor in Libya was condemned to death for giving AIDS to children.

After crying wolf a couple million times, you lose credibility, Clean up your acts, push out the terrorists, stop lying about massacres that never happened and negotiate peace with Israel, it's the only way to get out of hell.

This movie gets 0 stars out of a 5 star rating for it's lack of insight and objective reporting.

This is a glimpse of the chilling reality the palestinians live through

[hatimemail · 10/10 · 7 August 2004]

We are all familiar with suicide bombers because we see them almost daily on the news, but we never see the other side of the conflict and what the palestinians have to endure on a daily basis 24/7. This is a good documentary of that reality, I thought the content was very touching you can see the look on the people's faces and realize that they themselves do not believe that it is their reality. They look dazed and almost lost. It's also beautifully filmed I almost felt like I was there. I highly recommend this to everybody who's interested in the Palestinian/israeli conflict. I personally can't understand how this can be happening while the rest of the world is watching.

are you seriously kidding me... this is total pro-Palestinian propaganda

[cinematake · 1/10 · 12 April 2005]

IF its one thing we know very well is that the Palestinian public knows how to play the victim card very well... they do and say one thing at one time and say and act the opposite in front of a camera. Hey don't get me wrong, i am for a Palestinian state, they even had what they could only dream now back in 2000 where that mass murderer corrupted dictator Arafat ruined the chances for any state and instead made Israeli and Palestinian people suffer deaths after deaths, poverty and despair... but how convenient is to blame the Israelis... well its obviously politically correct these days to favor the underdog... i can make a film about the American army in Iraq and paint the worst picture you can imagine... very believable and very effective to make you agree with my point of view.. but in reality, this wont represent anything close to the true reasons they are there, to save the people of Iraq from a murderous dictator like Sadam that killed masses upon masses.... People, wake up and smell the coffee.. don't buy into all the BS that independent reporters like this guy that is trying to use this conflict for him to win awards or push his propaganda... maybe you can make a documentary about how Israelis are afraid to board the buses or walk within crowded masses of people, how thousands of woman, men, and children are missing arms. legs or severely injured (yes, in Israel, severely injured unfortunately means you are almost dead, missing limbs does not count.. ), visit the hospitals, the streets, the schools... Israel is such a peaceful place, you think you were in the states... Its the only true democracy and civilised country in that area.. imagine if it wasn't there... who would protect the interest of freedom and democracy??? I myself, am not Israeli, as you may think, i am a Canadian Christian UN Soldier that has worked in that area for the past 3 years and still am amazed at the amount of lies, of non-truths that these movies-documentaries like this one , Jenin Jenin (another batch of lies that is completely false and was proved so by the UN, US, EU and the international community)...i see what you don't see and i am just telling it like it is... just look at both sides of the story to truly understand whats going on.

A chilling portrait of life in the Strip

[adhoc · 10/10 · 15 August 2003]

having just returned from a year in the West Bank, I have seen some pretty difficult to see things and heard even worse stories. But I was never able to get into the Gaza Strip - denied entry by the IDF. Perhaps this film illustrates why. Graphic, moving and disturbing. What kind of person would hide a hand grenade inside a boxing glove so that kids would play with it?

I urge everyone who has never seen what it's like to be Palestinian under occupation to watch this movie.

the best documentary about ME conflict

[tommy_river2 · 10/10 · 2 October 2004]

This is the best documentary out there about the Palestinians and their struggle. No doubt about it. This movie racked up tons of great reviews, which you can read on the official website, including in the NY Times, Variety, etc.

There is a huge attempt to smash this film's reputation by writing bad user comments about it -- but check it out: The only kind of reviews "Gaza Strip" gets are either GREAT or "Don't see this film -- it's just lies". Let's see if you can guess who's writing those critical reviews ... could it be ... Zionist supporters of Israeli occupation policy? Hmmm...

Anyway -- if you get a chance, check out this documentary -- it might open you eyes!

I saw it a the arabic film festival.

[thestudiollc · 4 October 2004]

Is an Arabic documentary about a 4-mile wide beach strip that Arabian people have refuge to from the Jews in Iseral. It is a ghetto of Isearal. The population is around 1.5 million people jammed together.

The main character is a child in the film was 13 years old he is uneducated and almost homeless. He lives with his father who is never seen, mother, who is worn with age. The whole lot of people in the film in one word or another said they live in hell wanting peace but they fight for peace like throwing stone and rock and the Jews with gun. And then wander why they shot at them. I agree that it is hell on earth but the film had no continues point to the film just filming what the director could film there. Unfortunately, the story had no scripting narration to give the viewer sympathetic feeling to the people in the situation. The people are full of hate stating they' hate American for not helping' or aggravating people with guns. Luckily, from a director's standpoint, I looked at this film as what not to do. The reason why is the idea of the film was lost in just showing the audience the 'wow effect' of dead and destruction in Gaza. The technical aspect of this documentary is limited but considering bullets were flying nearby made the creative juices not to flow. First, the camera footage is shot like actualities. Most are hand-held standing or walking shots. There were very few shot giving the screen depth. Like using foreground and background. I thought it looks like unused news footage but that's my opinion.

Obliterates The Propaganda Commonly Obscuring This Issue

[protek22 · 10/10 · 4 August 2006]

In this documentary, James Longley completely obliterates the blatant pro-Zionist propaganda which conceals the true plight of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. He provides a heart rending portrait of the barbarity and racism that makes this tragedy possible. The Gazans relate in their own words, their suffering at the hands of the Israelis and an indifferent "international community" which includes some of the more prosperous Arab nations. This is a must see video for anyone wishing to really understand what is going on in Gaza as well as the Palestinian/Israeli conflict as a whole. You'll see the unadulterated truth as it plays out each day from the viewpoint of the children. If you look and listen carefully, you'll also see the potential future of humanity at the hands of the rich and powerful special interests, who're right now working hard to turn the clock of human history back to the middle ages.