Hasselt (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – In Hasselt, names of deceased Gaza children cover a vacant building, turning grief into a visual protest: “They must not become mere statistics.”
The names of all the children who perished in Gaza have been displayed on the window of an abandoned building on Minderbroedersstraat in Hasselt since Wednesday morning.
“Because it’s immoral to just let this pass,”
responded the initiator.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that 52,418 Palestinians, including 16,278 children, have perished since the conflict began in Gaza.
These children’s names were compiled by the activist onto 208 sheets of A4 paper, which are currently displayed on the exterior of an abandoned business building on Minderbroederstraat in Belgium.
“It was confronting to see how thick the pile was with the names of all the child victims,”
she said.
“It bothers me how easily we let this pass in Hasselt, and by extension in Belgium. Even dead children have become numbers. It’s sickening.”
How has the local community in Hasselt responded to the installation?
The local community in Hasselt has shown significant solidarity and concern through various peaceful actions related to the Gaza crisis, including symbolic protests. For example, action groups like 11.11.11 organized events such as drawing a “red line” in Hasselt’s public spaces to symbolize a demand for an end to what they call genocide in Gaza.
Hundreds of people participated, holding signs with messages like “Genocide,” “War Crimes,” and “Enough is enough,” clearly expressing their moral outrage and urging political leaders to take concrete actions, such as sanctions against Israeli leaders and bans on arms trade supporting the conflict. This demonstrates that many people in Hasselt feel deeply moved and compelled to express their opposition to the ongoing violence, showing a mix of compassion, activism, and a call for political accountability.
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