Children gather in London to play football for Palestine

Over 100 children gathered in London’s Hyde Park earlier this month to play football for Palestine - but with a twist. As the children play, they either have to delay or stop the game. This is deliberate, with event organisers Parents for Palestine saying the aim is to highlight how Israeli occupation forces kill Palestinian athletes or steal their dreams, making sure they don’t have anything to aspire to. While it’s a friendly match; no one is winning or losing. Event organisers also created zones for the children, with some areas featuring the names of Palestinian athletes who have been killed, and others where they can talk about Palestinian football or about stadiums in Gaza that Israel has destroyed. Parents for Palestine have been organising similar events for almost a year now, with the ultimate aim of encouraging children to deliver a message or send a message to the UK government or the children of Gaza, or to keep talking about it at their schools.