DaysofPal- A wide-ranging digital campaign titled “Their Names Are Not Numbers” has been launched to commemorate children killed during the war in the Gaza Strip, aiming to humanize their stories and preserve their memory beyond statistics.
The initiative, led by the International Children’s Authority, brings together journalists, human rights activists, civil society representatives, and families of victims in a coordinated online effort to highlight the lives and dreams of children lost in the conflict.
Participants have been sharing photos and videos of the children, accompanied by their names and short narratives about their lives, emphasizing that each child represents a unique story rather than a number in casualty reports.
The campaign has also included synchronized social media activity to amplify these stories globally.
According to Samir Khalifa, the campaign is organized in partnership with the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation and the Arab International Center for Research and Strategic Studies. It features a 72-hour continuous live broadcast involving participants from Arab and European countries, as well as prominent public figures, with the goal of reaching international audiences.
Khalifa said the campaign is rooted in the belief that approximately 21,000 children killed, ranging in age from infancy to 17—“are not mere numbers, but individuals with lives and stories that were cut short.”
He stressed that the initiative seeks to restore the human dimension of these losses and present them as living testimonies.
Launched from a media solidarity tent affiliated with the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate in Gaza, the campaign includes testimonies from bereaved families, alongside discussions with legal experts examining the targeting of children under international law.
One of the campaign’s central activities is the public reading of victims’ names. Organizers plan to read out 5,000 names in Gaza, with additional readings taking place in participating countries, transforming the initiative into a cross-border act of solidarity.
Voices from within the campaign have underscored its emotional and symbolic weight. Ahed Farwana called on supporters to “be the voice of those silenced by death,” while journalist Wissam Ballousha wrote that “every name is a story, a laugh, and a dream… not just a number, but a lasting human imprint.”
Personal testimonies have also formed a core part of the campaign. Palestinian father Samir Radi recounted the loss of his son Hamza, 17, his daughter Dina, 6, and his wife in an airstrike, describing the lives and dreams that ended abruptly.
Similarly, Aya Hassouna shared the story of losing her children, Hamza and Raghad, during a strike in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis in August 2024.
Organizers describe the campaign as a “digital cry” against international silence, aiming to transform individual grief into a collective, transnational memory.
Through hashtags such as “Their Names Are Not Numbers,” “Every Name Has a Life,” and “We Will Not Forget Their Names,” the initiative calls on journalists and activists worldwide to participate in preserving the memory of Gaza’s children.
Shortlink for this post: https://daysofpalestine.ps/?p=74285
