On the off chance that reading up on the Afghanistan situation wasn't rough enough going for you, Lawrence Wright's Letter from Gaza, "Captives," in this week's New Yorker, is also very long and thoroughly a bummer, as well as excellent and even-handed and important. Short version: Hamas political victory. Kidnapped Israeli soldier. Last December's "Operation: Cast Lead," AKA the Gaza War. And: "There is very little for children to do in Gaza. The Israeli blockade includes a ban on toys, so the only playthings available have been smuggled, at a premium, through tunnels from Egypt. Islamists have shut down all the movie theatres. Music is rare, except at weddings. Many of Gaza's sports facilities have been destroyed by Israeli bombings, including the headquarters for the Palestinian Olympic team. Only one television station broadcasts from Gaza, Al Aqsa-a Hamas-backed channel that gained notice last year for a children's show featuring a Mickey Mouse-like figure who was stabbed to death by an Israeli interrogator. The mouse was replaced by a talking bee, who died after being unable to cross into Egypt for medical treatment. The rabbit who followed the bee passed away in January, after being struck by shrapnel from an Israeli attack." Things get worse from there! 4