Commemoration in Maastricht honors Palestinian children and journalists killed by Israel in Gaza
Facts: "The Islamic group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 250 others to the Gaza Strip as hostages. As of 7 October 2025, over 68,172 Palestinians have been reported killed in the Gaza war."
"A commemoration was held in Maastricht, the Netherlands, on Saturday Oct. 10th for Palestinian children and journalists killed in Israel’s attacks on Gaza. The event was held in front of the Sint Servaas Basilica, the country’s oldest church, located in the city of Maastricht.
During the event, thousands of Palestinian children and journalists who lost their lives in Israel’s attacks in Gaza were remembered as their names were read over loudspeakers. Photographs and names of journalists killed in Israeli attacks were displayed in the square to draw attention to the victims.
40,000 children’s shoes were placed in the square to symbolize the huge death toll of children in Israel’s attacks.
The names and ages of children who died in Gaza were read aloud one by one during the commemoration. Displaying the shoes and journalists’ photos helps people grasp the reality in Gaza, noting the unprecedented loss of journalists and expressing her duty to share their stories and ensure the safety of others reporting from the conflict."
The crowd of onlookers, many wearing Palestinian scarves, was solemn, sober, and tearful. I couldn't look upon all these tiny shoes and not be moved. I asked one of the event organizers, "are these actual victims shoes?" He replied, "No. After the USA gives Israel bunker bombs and they drop them on houses, nothing is left, no body and no shoes. These are to represent the children's shoes."
in Maastricht, Skip
