Pope Francis Awards Gaza Child a Medal For Her Writing on Horrors of War

Khan Younis, MINA – Roa Qdeih, 14, was surprised when Pierre Krähenbühl, Commissioner General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), presented her on Wednesday with a medal from Pope Francis after reading what she wrote about her suffering during Israel’s 2014 war on Gaza.

Krähenbühl found Roa’s notebook in the rubble of her school in Khan Younis, south of Gaza Strip, which was destroyed during the Israeli war on Gaza in 2014, Wafa News Agency reported.

Roa had written about the difficult situation and horror she and her family had experienced during the war when her family’s home was shelled, burnt and partially destroyed, and her mother was injured.

Krähenbühl picked up the notebook, which included her writings especially her poem written in Arabic, “Hope never betrays”, and took it to show it to the rest of the world and to Pope Francis in particular two weeks ago during a meeting for donor countries in Rome.

Pope Francis was so impressed by Roa’s writing and sincere feelings that he awarded her a medal, to show his pride in the refugee children and of their courage, according to Roa.

“Children have the right to live and to go to school without fear or terror, and we are steadfast in our land despite the siege and the difficult conditions in Gaza,” she told WAFA.

“I’m so glad that I managed to convey my message to the whole world, and to Pope Francis. The children of Gaza have the right to enjoy all their basic human rights in freedom, living in dignity and a life free of war,” she said.(R/R04/RS5)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)