The unprecedented killing of Palestinian children in Gaza by Israel, ever since it unilaterally broke the ceasefire with Hamas on 18 March — with reports of 322 children killed in the first ten days of the bombardment — shook the sentiments of Israeli activists, whose conviction that they have killed so many children gathered thousands to raise their voices in protest against the killing.
They have held silent vigils in Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities since late March, quietly beginning to disrupt public indifference toward the mounting death toll in Gaza. Standing in complete silence while holding portraits of Palestinian children killed in Israeli attacks, they created a space for mourning that contrasts with the widespread silence in Israeli media and public discourse, The Wire reported.
The vigils take place alongside the weekly anti-government demonstrations, attracting the attention of passersby who are often drawn by the stillness and the black-and-white photos. As thousands head to their regular protest locations in Tel Aviv, many pause to observe the portraits, and some even abandon their own protest symbols to join the vigil.
The absence of slogans, chants, or organisational banners lends the protest a disarming simplicity, creating space for grief amid a political atmosphere that has largely ignored or obscured the human cost in Gaza.
Despite their understated nature, these vigils represent a significant departure from how Palestinian suffering is typically treated in Israel’s public sphere, where images and accounts of the devastation in Gaza are rarely visible, according to The Wire report.
However, the ongoing series of silent demonstrations, which began spontaneously with just a few printed photographs, has gathered momentum and inspired similar actions in cities including Jaffa, Haifa, Kafr Qasim, and at institutions like Tel Aviv University and Yad Vashem.
These actions emerge against the backdrop of growing dissent within Israeli society regarding the war, as a widening segment of the public questions the government’s strategy and the mounting civilian casualties. The vigils have helped to deepen this shift by confronting Israelis directly with the consequences of their government’s decisions.
Police restrictions and attacks by right-wing activists have been reported in several locations, including Haifa and Be’er Sheva, yet the vigils have largely avoided the violent confrontations that often accompany left-wing protests in Israel.
Tensions within the broader protest movement have surfaced as some families of hostages held in Gaza have objected to the presence of the vigils at anti-government rallies, insisting that the demonstrations remain focused solely on securing the hostages’ release.
Despite this, organisers have remained committed to their purpose, arguing that the deaths of over 15,000 children cannot be ignored or justified, and must be acknowledged within any broader call for justice or peace.