On Saturday 13th September, despite the rain, people gathered in Lewes Precinct to hear the names of some of the Palestinian children killed by Israeli forces in Gaza since 7 October 2023. The reading of the names started at 9.30am and continued till 4pm. About 200 people came to listen or stopped as they were passing by. This was followed by the reading of names of 18 Israeli children, in the same age group, killed on 7th October 2023 by Hamas.
This was the third in a series of events led by residents in East Sussex with the title KNOW THEIR NAMES. The first took place in Seaford on Sunday 2nd August, the second in Eastbourne on 24th August. In Seaford starting at 9am and finishing at 6pm, the names of children from newborn to age 4 were read out. In Eastbourne, during the 9 hours of the event, the reading of names continued from age 5 to age 11. In Lewes, the names of over 3000 children from age 11 to 16 were read. The names were compiled and published by Al Jazeera.
Helen Frederick, from Seaford said ‘It took nearly two hours just to name the children younger than one year old, some of them so young they didn’t yet have names. We felt so helpless but I feel that if I was a child’s mother, I would want to know they were loved and not forgotten’.
Opening the event in Lewes, Charlotte Williams, one of the organisers, explained: ‘According to Save the Children, approximately 20,000 Palestinian children have been killed in Gaza since the shocking events of October 7th 2023. They have been killed by Israel's deadly weapons and by deliberate starvation.
Across the country, people have been taking a stand against this atrocity, coming together to read out the names of the children who have been killed. We mourn these children, in grief and outrage. We read out their names to honour, respect and remember them.’
‘Every name was spoken with love and compassion: a real child deprived of life, more than a number,’ said Sofia Dimoglou, a local teacher.
Jenny Wistreich, a Lewes resident stated: ‘We stood in the pouring rain trying to hold back our tears as they spoke aloud the names of the killed Palestinian children. Onlookers paused their shopping to honour the young innocent victims of the genocide. We will never forget.’
‘It was a really poignant and moving event which clearly made people stop and listen, a quietly powerful event,’ commented Gill Tipping, from Lewes Refugee Support Group.
A further event to read the remaining names of the 16-17 year-olds will be held in Newhaven.
You can watch a video of the event here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj1oJ5pj520&t=24s