A massive portrait of five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab was unfurled on a beach in Barcelona on Thursday, marking two years since her death during the Israel–Gaza conflict and drawing global attention to the plight of children in Gaza.
The installation, stretching nearly 55 metres, was displayed alongside a large Palestinian flag and the message “Free Gaza’s Children”. Several hundred people gathered on the beach to remember Hind and other children killed during the war.
A voice that travelled beyond Gaza
Hind Rajab was trapped in a car in Gaza in 2024 during Israeli military operations, pleading for help over a mobile phone while her relatives lay dead beside her. An ambulance sent to rescue her later lost contact. The bodies of Hind, her family members and two emergency responders were recovered days later.
Her final hours were documented in the film The Voice of Hind Rajab, which won the Silver Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival and has since received an Academy Award nomination.
Mother’s appeal echoes at protest
Watching the portrait being hoisted, Hind’s mother, Wesam Hamada (29), appealed for international attention to Gaza’s children. “They ask for the right to live, to sleep without fear, to grow up,” she said.
Jordanian-Canadian actress Saja Kilani, who portrayed a Palestinian Red Crescent responder in the film, said Hind’s voice had crossed borders and reached people worldwide.
Humanitarian crisis continues
The United Nations has described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “dire”, even months into a ceasefire, with children among the worst affected by shortages of food, shelter and healthcare.
The Israeli military has said the incident involving Hind Rajab remains under review.
Spain has seen repeated public protests over the Gaza conflict, including past attempts by civil groups to send aid from Barcelona by sea.