Thousands of makeshift tombstones were displayed in the center of Rome to commemorate the children of Gaza who were slaughtered by Israel in recent weeks.
Jamil: 11 years of age; Salma: 16; Jawan: 2; Mohammed 13.
These are the names of just four Palestinian children who have been slaughtered in Gaza since Israel started bombing the besieged territory on October 7th, 2023.
Their names, together with those of 5000 other deceased Palestinian boys and girls, were placed on makeshift tombstones and displayed at a central Piazza in Rome, in memory of all the children killed during Israel’s ongoing brutal military assault on Gaza.
The initiative, dubbed ‘stop slaughtering children in Gaza’ was carried out by AOI, an association of NGOs operating in the international solidarity and cooperation sector.
Representatives of trade unions and other civil society organizations, together with members of Italy’s Palestinian community, also attended the demonstration.
You cannot be a member of the United Nations signing accords and voting on resolutions that are enforced only if they suit specific interests. This way the credibility of the institution is badly damaged.
Maurizio Landini, Secretary General, CGIL Union
Palestinian authorities have reported that more than 6500 minors have been killed in Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip since October 7th, 2023.
Earlier this month, the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, warned that Gaza was becoming a graveyard for children with hundreds of girls and boys killed or injured every day.
As 1.6 million Gazans have been displaced from their homes, many forced to move to the south of the strip, there are concerns that a large number of them may end up in refugee camps.
You know the resilience of the Palestinian people. We will not leave our land. This is our land. This is this is our right. This was very clear from our people in Gaza. They prefer to live on their destroyed houses. Rather than to be outside of Gaza.
Abeer Odeh, Palestinian Ambassador to Italy
Some at the demonstrations said an increasing number of people in Italy are choosing to stand with the Palestinians despite the mainstream media coverage of the conflict being completely biased in favor of Israel.
I have stopped following the Western media outlets for quite some time. They should be ashamed.
We have the right to be informed honestly and truthfully. Give us the truth and citizens will then choose which side to stand for.
I’m disgusted; the media are all complicit in the mass slaughtering of Palestinians.
Demonstrator
Hundreds of demonstrations in solidarity with Palestine have been held in multiple cities and towns across Italy since the start of the war in Gaza over eight weeks ago.
