Face paint helps Gazans to face life
GAZA — Menna Hamouda, 20, a Palestinian artist in the Gaza Strip, busies herself every day painting the faces of displaced children in the central Gazan city of Deir al-Balah amid the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
About a month ago Hamouda decided to use face painting to help Gazan children overcome their fear in the conflict, after she learned that efforts to achieve a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas failed.
“It’s hard for innocent children to go through such a tragic event as this war,” she said. “They are constantly under pressure because of the killings and other incidents they are witnessing.”
Hamouda, who was displaced from the city of Beit Lahia about four months ago to a school-turned-shelter in Deir al-Balah, said she paints about 50 children a day, free of charge. Every day she walks from one shelter to another to paint for children, using tools she had brought with her from her home in northern Gaza.
Because of Israeli attacks and the siege of the enclave, Palestinians cannot access daily necessities and recreational facilities. Hamouda said she had painted a lot of moving things to “let children believe that life will go on”.
Among the most popular images she 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 action and step up pressure on Israel to end its war against us in Gaza.”
Israel launched a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against the movement’s surprise attack on southern Israel on Oct 7, during which about 1,200 people in Israel were killed and about 250 were taken hostage.
The Palestinian death toll from Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has continued to rise, surpassing 28,900.
“We have never witnessed a conflict as bloody as the one in Gaza,” Hamouda said. “Everyone is under Israeli attacks, and nobody can save himself from death.”
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.
Looking at a mirror to see his face paintings, he said: “I hope the war will end soon so that we can go back to our homes and resume our normal life. I miss my friends, my puppets, my school and my relatives.”