In pictures: Netherlands event honours 8,000 Gaza children killed by Israel
Organisers and residents place around 8,000 pairs of shoes in Rotterdam city to highlight mass killings of Palestinian children by Israel in its 76-day war on besieged Gaza.
People place pair of shoes as nearly 8 thousand pairs of shoes are placed to express solidarity with Palestinian children. / Photo: AA
Organisers and residents have placed around 8,000 pairs of shoes in Rotterdam city of the Netherlands to express solidarity with Palestinians in besieged Gaza under months of Israeli onslaught.
The Israeli attacks and mass murder of Palestinian children were highlighted by the Plant an Olive Tree Foundation in its remembrance event on Wednesday.
Esther van der Most, the director of the foundation, conveyed the gravity of the situation.
"In the last 75 days, more than 8,000 children have been killed in Gaza. We collected these shoes to draw attention to how many children are being talked about. This way, people can feel something about them, and Palestinians can be seen as humans."
"We are here to mourn and commemorate the killed children, but above all, to say: 'Enough!' Stop killing Palestinian children. Stop the occupation, stop everything," he added.
Take a look at these images from the commemorative event:
A woman places a pair of shoes to draw attention toward Palestinian children being killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza.
A banner depicting the Palestinian flag with the words "don't kill Palestinian children" is seen at the protest spot.
Organisers placed a banner that reads "They have names. They had dreams" along with the shoes at the event site.
In Gaza, hunger has become the most pressing of the myriad problems facing hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians, especially children who have survived the Israeli onslaught so far.
The event was organised by the Olive Tree Planting Foundation at Binnenrotte Square, which was transformed into a somber sea of remembrance.
A visitor to the site cries during the commemorative act in the Netherlands.
Every 10 minutes, pairs of shoes were added to the display, symbolising the alarming frequency with which children are killed by Israel.
Volunteers tirelessly worked to distribute informational brochures to passersby, shedding light on the dire situation in Gaza.
"We collected these shoes to draw attention to how many children are being talked about. This way, people can feel something about them, and Palestinians can be seen as humans," says Esther van der Most, the organiser.
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