11Days…And We Won (Our Children Are Men)

On Sunday, June 27, 2021, the Global Women’s Coalition or Quds and Palestine held the fourth meeting of the series “11 Days…And We Won” series, titled: "Our Children Are Men" on Zoom. The meeting hosted a group of brave Palestinian children from the Gaza Strip and Al-Quds to talk about their experiences in the Battle of Saif Al-Quds, from what they have witnessed and were exposed to, to their suffering and patience.

"I am a Palestinian child and I am proud of that. I love living in safety. I'm learning English so that our voice can reach all people. We deserve life.” This is what Nadine Abdul Latif said.

As for Amr Genena, son of the martyr Osama Genena, he said, “My hope is to continue on my dad’s path, for the sake of Al-Aqsa and Al-Masra (Al-Quds City). This is why I will work hard in my studies and ask all the children to be strong like us.”

The meeting also hosted the child Maram Zuroub, who tried to record video clips in Turkish during the battle to convey the voice of the children of Palestine to Turkish speakers. She said in a recitation addressed to the world, “I am a Palestinian child living in Rafah. I wish to live with pride, dignity and safety like all the children of the world, but the occupation kills all our simple dreams. I wish to become a doctor to save all the wounded in the world.”

The meeting moved from Gaza to Al-Quds with the hero Muhammad Al-Fakhouri, the child with the famous smile that provoked the occupation. He had been arrested by the occupation forces in front of Damascus Gate. Muhammad said, “Al-Quds is our land. We must prove our presence and our right to it, even if we were arrested by the occupation. This is what I faced when I was in Damascus Gate.”

"What saddens me the most is that the occupiers enter and wander around our Al-Aqsa Mosque.”

The conversation returns to Gaza. Sarah Ahmad Al-Mansi, daughter of the martyr Ahmed Al-Mansi, said: “I am the daughter of the Martyr Ahmed, and I will tell you a little about my father, even though all the words will not do him justice. Despite your departure from this world, my father, you have not left me, for I see you in every direction and corner of life.”

As for Baraa Saber Suleiman, who famously bid his father farewell with the word: “May Allah make your journey easy for you, dad”, he said, “I will follow the path of my martyr father, and my message to the Arab world is that if you support the occupier with all your weapons, we will remain steadfast. It will not be of any benefit to the normalizers (of Israeli relations) to stand with the occupation.”

Osama Al-Abed, son of a martyr and grandson of the Khansaa of Palestine, expressed his love of football, with all innocence, like all the children in the world. In his messag to the world, he said, “A message from me to all the children: Be strong like us, do not be afraid of the bombing, and be calm.”

The meeting concluded with messages from the children of the world to the children of Palestine. Participants included:

Zainab Osama Hussein from Jordan, who wrote her words with her soft hands, and the child Abdul Rahman Muhammad Al-Mustafa from Mauritania in a message from the children of Mauritania to the children of Palestine.Raghad and Omar, two children residing in Istanbul, tweeted heart-to-heart words for the heroic children of Palestine. Atika from Indonesia shared her country’s message to the children of Palestine. Bilsan from Algeria, the country of a million martyrs, concluded the meeting with her message.

The meeting was moderated by Muhammad Abu Taha and Ahmed Hijazi, two journalists from Gaza Strip, who were distinguished by their unique and creative style of communication and conversation with the children.

The meeting concluded with the children singing, "We will stay here, until the pain goes away."

Yes, we will remain here... until the pain goes away and every inch of Palestine enjoys freedom and safety.