paroolSep 5, 2026, 12:48

Support for children in Gaza: dozens of kites at Eye Filmmuseum

Activists launched kites at the Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam to protest against Israeli threats towards children in Gaza who play with kites. The demonstration emphasizes solidarity with Gazan youth following reports that Israeli officials labeled kites as security threats, despite later confirming they were harmless.

Activists from organizations including Dolle Mina and Plant a Olive Tree gathered at the Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam to launch dozens of kites in solidarity with children in Gaza. The demonstration serves as a response to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent zero-tolerance policy regarding kites and balloons crossing from Gaza into Israel. The policy was prompted by a small number of kites drifting across the border in August, though the Israeli military later confirmed that these items were harmless paper toys rather than weapons.

Organizers argue that kite flying is a harmless and popular hobby for children in Gaza, who famously set a world record by flying 12,000 kites simultaneously in 2011. Protesters voiced their strong opposition to the threat of military action against children engaged in this play, characterizing it as an attempt to suppress joy. Similar protest events took place concurrently across several other Dutch cities to advocate for the rights and safety of children living in the Gaza Strip.

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Based on reporting by parool. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.

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