Artist's unique, compelling film depicts never-ending cycle of suffering for children after six months of war in Gaza
· Zoom-in video provides poignant glimpses of families under attack
·Total number of Palestinian children killed or injured rises to 26,000
LONDON, 12 April 2024 - Save the Children has marked six months of war in Gaza by releasing a new film from the acclaimed ‘infinity artist’ Vaskange, highlighting the desperate situation for children and the urgent need for an immediate, definitive ceasefire.
The digital artist, whose work has been lauded for taking viewers on a ‘hypnotic journey with endless zoom-ins’, collaborated with Save the Children to portray scenes of destruction, displacement, detention, hunger and loss in Gaza.
FILM - https://www.contenthubsavethechildren.org/Package/2O4C2SOF1MKA
The film’s release comes as the agency announced that nearly 26,000 children – or just over two percent of Gaza’s child population - have been killed or injured in Gaza in six months of war, making this one of the deadliest urban conflicts of the 21st century for children.
In the six months since the 7 October attacks in which 33 children were killed in Israel by Palestinian Armed Groups, more than 13,800 children have been killed in Gaza and 113 in the West Bank by Israeli forces. More than 12,000 children have been injured in Gaza and at least 725 in the West Bank, according to the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Ministry of Health in Gaza. UNICEF has reported that at least 1,000 children have had one or both legs amputated, and about 30 out of 36 hospitals have been bombed, leaving only 10 partially functioning.
Save the Children has warned that the emotional impact of the war has left children increasingly struggling to cope, with many likely to suffer lasting psychological impacts.
Vaskange’s film provides a child’s perspective on the crisis, taking the viewer through a series of illustrations depicting the horrors children have endured, ranging from being held hostage to the denial of sufficient aid to relieve hunger.
The script has been adapted from the testimonies of families and children who have lived through years of conflict. Their powerful quotes underscore the dire circumstances, with parents struggling to feed their children and children expressing their longing for a life free from violence and fear.
Amal*, mother of four children in Gaza.* said: “My children have to eat whatever they can find, even if they hate it, so they don’t die from hunger.”
Farah*, a child from Gaza in the occupied Palestinian territory, said, “The whole world can see what’s happening, but they are silent... I used to think that people would stand up for what’s right, but now I don’t think that’s true.”
Xavier Joubert, Save the Children Country Director in the occupied Palestinian territory, said:
“Over 180 days of violence have rendered Gaza unrecognizable and killed or injured over 2% of Gaza’s child population. Those who have survived so far have dwindling chances of continuing to do so. This war is not only destroying Gaza, but also the fundamental tenets of childhood.
“The world must act now to ensure an immediate and definitive ceasefire and unfettered humanitarian access to end the horrifying destruction of life in Gaza. As with all children, we owe children in Gaza a dignified future - but at this rate, they are at risk of having no future at all.”
Save the Children has been providing essential services and support to Palestinian children impacted by the ongoing conflict since 1953. Save the Children’s team in the occupied Palestinian territory has been working around the clock, prepositioning vital supplies to support people in need, and working to find ways to get assistance into Gaza.
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