The Birds of Gaza

Image ICN/JS

Waiting to join the March for Gaza in London last Saturday, I encountered a beautiful woman in front of the Albert Memorial.

She held a baby in swaddling clothes under one arm, and with the other she was launching a dove of blue and gold, with a piercing golden eye.

The beautiful woman was in fact a life-size picture. Alongside her was a line on which the children present had drawn birds.

I was very taken with one of these in particular - a proud fowl of Palestinian colours, its wings the familiar black and white pattern of the keffiyeh. It was surrounded by love hearts.

I had encountered the Birds of Gaza project.

Each of the birds drawn was a pictorial memorial to one of the children and babies killed by the Israeli army.

The Birds of Gaza website says this:

'Birds of Gaza is a community art project for children to craft unique birds to remember every child killed in Israel's war on Gaza. Through the power of collective art we're highlighting the atrocities that have led to over 6,500 children (and counting) being mercilessly killed.'

Their website identifies inspirations for the project. The girl from Gaza whose dream is to fly, so she 'can see all the people'. (Taken from Mohannad Aburizk's Instagram collection: 'Dreams of Gaza's kids'.)

The writer Ghassan Kanafani's wish that children didn't die: 'I wish they would be temporarily elevated to the skies until the war ends. Then they would return home safe, and when their parents would ask them: "Where were you?", they would say: "We were playing in the clouds." '

This thought on birds flying in flocks. 'The goosebumps on me right now. There was a protest and somebody said these birds are the children of Gaza.'

The website has a gallery where each of the thousands of birds, created and sent in from around the world, is a loving memorial dedicated to one of the children.

The final inspiration is by the poet and playwright Khaled Juma:

'Oh rascal children of Gaza,

You who constantly disturbed me with your screams under my window,

You who filled every morning with rush and chaos,

You who broke my vase and stole the lonely flower on my balcony.

Come back,

And scream as you want,

And break all the vases,

Steal all the flowers,

Come back,

Just come back.'

These heartbreaking words make clear that these birds of Gaza are, as the website states, 'Made with [a broken heart emoji] for the martyred children of Gaza.'

In the gallery, you will find Palestinian sunbirds, swallows and doves - some bearing a longed-for olive branch of peace. You will also find Japanese peace cranes.

Most (but not all) of the birds have been painted and made by children, and children's handwriting completes many works.

There are messages of condolence. A bird is painted on a stone. Another is knitted. There are avian mobiles.

I spotted a partridge and a bird of paradise. Many of the birds are brightly coloured. Many sport the Palestinian flag's colours.

Here was a robin. There an owl. Collages contained feathers, white peace poppies. Some birds were al fresco, perched in foliage.

What a beautiful, heart-rending project of memorial and solidarity.

Enda from Ireland had illustrated a nest which doubled as a crown of thorns.

We know how Christ loved children.

On the eve of another vote on a ceasefire in Gaza in the UK Parliament, I pray all politicians will dwell on this appalling Massacre of the Innocents, and vote for its immediate implementation.

Everyone is warmly invited to participate in the Birds of Gaza project.

LINKS

Birds of Gaza: www.birdsofgaza.com

Philip's CandleMass Birdwatch: www.justgiving.com/page/philip-crispin-1706830936162?utm