GAZA, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Menna Hamouda, a 20-year-old Palestinian artist in the Gaza Strip, is busy every day with painting the faces of displaced children in the central Gazan city of Deir al-Balah amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
About a month ago, Hamouda decided to use face painting to help Gazan children in overcoming their fear in the bloody conflict, after she learnt that efforts to achieve a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas had failed.
"It is too hard for innocent children to go through such a tragic event as the ongoing bloody war. They are constantly under pressure because of the killings and other incidents they are witnessing," she said.
Hamouda, who was displaced from her home in the city of Beit Lahia about four months ago to a school-turned-shelter in Deir al-Balah, paints about 50 children for free in a day. Every day, Hamouda would walk from one shelter to another to paint for children, using the tools that she had brought with her from her home in northern Gaza.
Because of the ongoing Israeli attacks and siege of the coastal enclave, Palestinians are unable to access daily necessities and recreational facilities. Hamouda said she decided to use face painting as a way to help children go through the difficult time.
She said she had painted a lot of moving things to "let children believe that life will go on."
Among the most popular images Hamouda paints on children's faces are birds, olive branches, small houses and the Palestinian flag.
"I want to send my message to the world that our people are looking forward to living a normal life as soon as possible. I hope all people around the world will take actions and step up pressure on Israel to end its war against us in Gaza," she said.
Israel launched a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate the movement's surprise attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people in Israel were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage.
The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 28,775 with 68,552 others wounded, the Hamas-run health ministry said on Friday.
"We have never witnessed a conflict as bloody as the one in Gaza. Everyone is under Israeli attacks, and nobody can save himself from death," said the artist.
Mohammed Abu Daher, a Palestinian child who was displaced after the conflict, was overjoyed when Hamouda drew an olive tree and the Palestinian flag on his face. He has not had his face painted since the conflict broke out in Gaza more than four months ago.
"I like the trees in my house and the Palestinian flag that was raised over our house in the Jabalia refugee camp," he said.
"I hope the war will end soon so that we can go back to our homes and resume our normal life once again. I missed my friends, my puppets, my school, and my relatives," he said as he looked in a mirror to see his face paintings. ■
