Amsterdam, MINA — A commemoration was held in Maastricht on Saturday to honor Palestinian children and journalists killed in Israel’s attacks on Gaza, Anadolu Agency reported.
The Olive Tree Foundation organized the event in front of the Sint Servaas Basilica, the Netherlands’ oldest church, to raise awareness of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestine.
During the ceremony, photographs and names of journalists killed in Israeli attacks were displayed in the city square, while thousands of children’s shoes were laid out to symbolize the enormous death toll among children. The names and ages of the children who died in Gaza were read aloud one by one.
Volunteers distributed brochures to passers-by detailing the situation in Gaza, emphasizing the human cost of the conflict.
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Esther van der Most, director of the Olive Tree Planting Foundation, told Anadolu that this was the 15th commemoration for Palestinian children, victims of Israeli oppression long before the 2023 war and the second for journalists killed in Israel’s attacks on Gaza.
She noted that the crisis in Gaza did not begin on Oct. 7, 2023, and while the current ceasefire is necessary to allow humanitarian aid into the region, “true peace and justice cannot exist while the occupation continues.”
“The ceasefire is not peace or justice,” van der Most said. “No agreement can bring justice while Palestine remains occupied and colonized. We will continue our efforts until full freedom is achieved.”
Van der Most added that displaying the shoes and journalists’ photos helps the public understand the reality in Gaza, stressing the unprecedented loss of journalists and the importance of ensuring their safety in conflict zones.[]
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