Derry children bring their concerns about Palestine to a press conference with the Mayor

A group of Derry children brought their concerns about the conflict in Gaza to the Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council.

The Derry branch of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) had arranged this press conference with Councillor Lillian Seenoi-Barr for their young supporters to ask their questions about what has been happening in Palestine for the last year.

This was the first in a series that Derry’s IPSC is holding for World Children’s Day on November 20. 

The children that attended the press conference with Cllr Seenoi-Barr in the Mayor’s parlour were passionate about the humanitarian crisis that is currently ongoing in Gaza, as they shared their thoughts before entering.

Isaac said: “As I see Palestinian children dying on TV from the news, I get quite upset.

“There are a lot of people over there dying from the Israeli bombs. They are human beings, and their lives matter.”

Aoibheann said: “I am sad and scared about what is happening over in Palestine.

“They are like us; they are children who just want to enjoy their lives and play.

“Why are the governments doing nothing? You see them without water, and it is really sad.”

On Monday, Israel’s parliament voted to ban the UN's Palestinian refugee agency (Unrwa) from operating within Israel and occupied East Jerusalem.

Almost all of Gaza's population of more than two million people are dependent on aid and services from the agency.

Israel has defended the move, repeating its allegation that a number of the agency's staff were involved in Hamas's 7 October attacks last year, which killed 1,200 people.

This has led to further concern for the children that were in the presence of the Mayor.

Finn and Danny said: “I want them to feel safe and healthy in Gaza without the fear of being bombed.

“We want to stand up for Palestine and make the Palestinians feel as safe as we do here.”

A child-led vigil will be the main event of the Derry’s IPSC series for World’s Children Day and will take place on November 20 at 6 pm.

It will begin at Bishop’s Gate, and they will march to the Guildhall before a child takes to the stage to give a speech on the conflict, followed by some poetry from a number of children, with the theme of the event focusing on the UN rights of a child, with Derry’s IPSC encouraging as many adults and children to attend to demonstrate their solidarity with the people of Palestine. 

Emma-Jane McGlinchey from IPSC said: “We are pleased Derry City and Strabane District Council is working towards becoming a UNICEF child-friendly city.

“Children of all ages are seeing what is happening in Gaza and the protests around it. We see many children at our protests. The smaller ones may not understand fully, but they certainly understand elements. 

“Kids are talking about this in the playgrounds; from what they see in the news, they know, and we need to discuss it with them.

“Conversations need to be had with your own children and within schools about what is currently happening in Gaza and Lebanon.

“We have written to the schools and asked them to have some discussions with the children, as they are seeing what is happening and perhaps don’t fully understand the extent as to what they are seeing online, and so more should be done.”