Gaza children send messages to Sderot on kites

Ma'an- Children in Gaza released kites on Tuesday carrying messages to residents of Sderot across the border in Israel.

The kites carried messages urging Israel to end its siege of Gaza.

Fourteen-year-old Einas Naim told Ma'an she hoped residents of Sderot would understand the messages.

"I came to send messages to the residents of the neighboring Israeli towns telling them Palestinian children have the right to live in safety like others.

"We hope we can live safely and freely because it is our right to enjoy life free of missiles, bombardment and destruction.

"We fear to go to school in the morning because when we wake up we hear noise of tank shells and missiles fired by Israel forces whenever they want," she said.
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Messages written on the kites included "I have the right to live," "No to the siege," and "No to the wall."

Einas asked: "Why when one bullet is shot at Sderot, the whole world rises on its feet, and we are sued internationally, and war might be waged against us, but when our schools are bombarded and children are killed nobody makes a single move?"

Nine-year-old Muhammad wrote "Gaza is love" on a kite made of a Palestinian flag.

"My message to the Israeli residents is that our country has suffered enough destruction," he said.

Coordinator of the initiative Sabir Zaanin said the kites released Sderot were in response to the messages Israeli children wrote on artillery shells which killed dozens of children.

Sderot was originally built on land belonging to Beit Hanoun, a town in northern Gaza, Zaanin said.

"Not many children in Gaza know the details of the conflict with Israel, but they know quite well that they are killed by shells coming from the east, and all they hope is to live quietly without occupation."