Plano shoe memorial raising awareness of thousands of children killed in Gaza
PLANO - As the war between Israel and Hamas continues, there's an increased call to end the fighting from groups in North Texas, including one woman raising awareness about the thousands of children killed in Gaza since the conflict began 10 weeks ago.
Syeda Amina is an early childhood educator and a mom of two girls.
"So when I was watching the news and when I came across everything that was happening in Gaza it really hit home for me," said Amina.
Since Hamas launched its deadly attack on Israel on October 7, health officials in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip say more than 18,000 Palestinians have died in the war. According to estimates from the United Nations two out of every three killed are women or children.
"I just couldn't sit back and just watch as bodies are piling up and as children are losing their lives these children don't have a voice," said Amina.
"So, me, as well as my dedicated team of volunteers, we got together and so we want to be their voice."
That's why Amina decided to create a shoe memorial to remember the children. Amina and a team of volunteers placed 500 pairs of shoes outside of the Davis Library in Plano. Each pair of shoes symbolizes as many as 20 children who have died since the fighting started in October. Names and photos of some of those children are part of the memorial.
"It really breaks my heart to see children who have just started their lives," said Amina.
She hopes this memorial will raise awareness in North Texas.
"We want everyone to voice for them and to demand for an immediate ceasefire because no more lives should be lost," said Amina.
A few weeks ago, Amina organized a bake sale and raised $8,000 for humanitarian aid in Gaza. She says she'll continue to stand up for the innocent children caught in the middle of the fighting.
"There is only one race and that is humanity and we need to stand together."
Amina and her team of volunteers plan to hold another memorial for the children of Gaza in front of the Davis Library in Plano on Monday.