DaysofPal- An American artist has created a massive public artwork in Brooklyn, New York, bearing the names of thousands of Palestinian children killed in the Gaza Strip, to transform casualty figures into a living human memory that confronts passersby with the magnitude of loss.
The installation, titled “Wall of Tears,” documents the names of more than 18,400 Palestinian children killed between October 7, 2023, and July 19, 2025, according to figures released by Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
Stretching nearly 15 meters in length and three meters in height, the wall stands near the Pine Box Rock Shop on Grattan Street. Created by artist Phil Buehler, the work is printed on weather-resistant vinyl in a sandy tone. The children’s names appear in chronological order, accompanied by selected photographs and brief stories drawn from media reports.
The memorial begins with the name of Wisam Iyad Mohammad Abu Fasifs (14) and ends with Sabah Omar Saad Al-Masri (8), forming a timeline that records the killing of children throughout the war.
Speaking to The Guardian, Buehler said the wall appears from a distance like an abstract artwork, drawing people closer until they realize the thousands of names belong to children killed in Gaza. He explained that seeing faces and personal stories prompts visitors to imagine their own children and families in similar circumstances.
Buehler expressed hope that the project would raise public awareness, particularly through images shared on social media, allowing the memorial to reach audiences far beyond Brooklyn.
The artist is known for politically engaged works, including “Wall of Lies,” which documented misleading statements by former U.S. President Donald Trump; “Wall of Shame,” addressing the 2021 U.S. Capitol attack; and “Empty Beds,” a project highlighting the abduction of Ukrainian children.
“Wall of Tears” was produced in collaboration with the nonprofit organization Radio Free Brooklyn. Buehler noted that the project already lags behind reality, as it records victims only up to July 2025, while hundreds of children have been killed since then, including during periods described as calm.
The unveiling of the memorial coincided with the second anniversary of the killing of Hind Rajab, a Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces in January 2024 while attempting to flee with relatives. Her case was later documented in the film “The Voice of Hind Rajab” by director Kaouther Ben Hania, which has received international awards recognition.
The installation emerges during growing political debate in New York over Israel’s war on Gaza, in a city that hosts one of the largest Jewish communities outside Israel.
Buehler emphasized that he rejects the idea that opposition to the war is synonymous with antisemitism, arguing that such conflation undermines public discussion and deepens divisions within American society.
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