Vigil in the Netherlands Commemorates Thousands of Children Killed in Gaza
DaysofPal – A solemn vigil was held in the Dutch city of Almere to honor the memory of thousands of Palestinian children killed during Israel's ongoing military assault on the Gaza Strip. The event, organized by the Plant an Olive Tree Foundation, served as a powerful reminder of the scale of the tragedy unfolding in Gaza and the growing public outcry across Europe.
The commemoration took place at the city's central Stadhuisplein (City Hall Square), where thousands of small children's shoes were arranged on the ground—each pair symbolizing a young life lost. Volunteers stood in silence as they read aloud the names of children who perished under Israeli bombardment. Informational flyers were also handed out to bystanders, detailing the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, particularly its devastating toll on children.
Esther van der Most, director of the organizing foundation, told Anadolu Agency:
'This is the twelfth vigil we've organized, and more are planned across the Netherlands. Simply condemning the killing of children is not enough. The Israeli aggression must be stopped. We will keep pushing until that happens.'
Van der Most was sharply critical of the Dutch government's stance:
'The only solution is to impose serious sanctions. Diplomacy alone has failed. This is not a new crisis—it's the outcome of decades of impunity. Historically, the Netherlands has been on the wrong side. That must change.'
Since the start of the assault on October 7, 2023, Israel—with full support from the United States—has launched what human rights experts and international legal scholars have called a genocidal campaign against the people of Gaza. According to local and international sources, nearly 190,000 Palestinians have been killed or wounded, the majority being children and women. More than 11,000 are still missing, presumed to be buried under rubble or trapped in inaccessible zones. Entire neighborhoods have been flattened, and hundreds of thousands remain displaced amid the collapse of health services and critical infrastructure.
The vigil in Almere is one of many such grassroots actions gaining momentum across Europe, as civil society grows increasingly disillusioned with government inaction and silence in the face of overwhelming evidence of war crimes.
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