Gaza mother's poetic plea to end the war sparks global response
The poem, which has been widely shared on social media, reflects the desperation and heartbreak that mothers in Gaza endure daily – living mostly in tents, trying to feed their children amid a blockade on aid and trying to keep them safe from Israeli attacks.
Ms Al Najjar, an English teacher, wrote the poem in her tent in Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, where she now lives with her four young children after her family was displaced by the war. It invokes 'the voice of every mother who endured, grieved and who still dares to dream of peace'.
'I ask mothers around the world to stand with us, to understand our struggles, and to help raise their voices for peace and justice in Gaza and beyond,' Ms Al Najjar, 40, told The National. 'We urge the world to stop the war so our children can continue their normal life and education and build a future filled with hope and opportunity,' she says.
She hopes for enough food to feed her children, for clean water and daily essentials, for a life without fear of being torn to pieces by Israeli bombs and gunfire. 'We do not ask for pity but for witness, we do not ask for silence but for a voice beside ours so that your children, when they grow up, will know that we had children too,' she writes in her poem.
Rachel Accurso, the creator of a YouTube channel of songs for toddlers under the name Ms Rachel, which has more than 16 million subscribers, shared Ms Al Najjar's poem on social media. 'This is a call to all mothers, please show the mothers in Gaza that they are not alone. The only difference between you and Munira is geographical luck,' Ms Accurso said in an Instagram post.
The poem was then shared and read out publicly by US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and other influential figures, triggering an array of emotional responses. Ms Al Najjar said her poem had received 15 million views on Instagram after Ms Accurso shared it.
Out of nearly 62,000 people killed and more than 150,000 injured in Gaza since the war began in October 2023, more than 50,000 are children, according to a Unicef estimate. Earlier this month, the UN agency said that on average at least 28 children have been killed every day.
Hunger has reached starvation levels as Israeli restrictions continue to make aid inaccessible, while plans for a military offensive into Gaza city threaten to displace a million people, or half the population of the Gaza Strip. Newborns and young children are reported to be dying from malnutrition.
'My message to mothers everywhere is, although our circumstances may be different, the love we have for our children unites us all. Mothers everywhere want nothing more than safety, peace and opportunities for their children to grow and thrive,' Ms Al Najjar says.
Displaced with her family at least seven times already, Ms Al Najjar says the war has taught Gazans how to 'hold on to each other more tightly', and adds: 'We will emerge from this war stronger, seeking life.'
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