RAMALLAH, Feb 2 (IPS) - As fears rise of renewed violence in Gaza, Elena Qleibo, a French-Costa Rican aid worker from Oxfam, gives IPS a first-hand account of surviving Israel's three-week bombardment of Gaza.

Excerpts from her account: I was attending a meeting at Gaza City municipality on Dec. 27 when suddenly the meeting was interrupted by heavy booming sounds coming from a short distance away.

Plumes of smoke were rising from a number of bombed areas surrounding the building I was in. I and a number of colleagues rushed outside to try and establish what was happening. Mayhem and confusion reigned as shocked Gazans realised they were coming under a sustained attack from warships off the coast and aerial bombardments from fighter jets circling the skies above. Later on as I tried to gather more information from people in my neighbourhood, many appeared in a state of incomprehension at the ferocity of the assault.