Communications

With bated breath, we at the International Board on Books for Young People welcome the ceasefire in Gaza. At the time of writing this letter, we see the nature of this ceasefire as immensely fragile, as sporadic strikes by Israel continue stealing the lives of innocent civilians in Palestine. 

As of the end of September 2025, more than 20,000 children have been killed through Israel’s destruction of Gaza. At the same time, Israel has detained hundreds of children from the West Bank and Gaza since October 2023, with children facing emotional and physical abuse while incarcerated. These actions are a desecration of the inviolable creed to protect the life of all children.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child vehemently states that every child has an inherent right to life. It mandates that States Parties ensure the survival and development of the child. Children must be protected, and States are bound to protect and care for children who are impacted by armed conflict.

With the convention ratified by 196 States Parties, including Israel, we still see Israel enacting violence against children in both Gaza and the West Bank. While it may be impossible to identify by name all the lives that have been taken, our IBBY Palestine librarians and community members of Gaza have worked hard to share with us the names of some of the children of the IBBY Libraries in Beit Hanoun and Rafah who have been killed. And so it is with immense pain that we write this letter and obituary, to honour their memory.

With broken hearts, we mourn the loss of:

• Muhammad Musa Ismail Abu Odeh
  Killed on July 3, 2025. Muhammad was a regular participant in Beit Hanoun’s library activities for over a year before the genocide on Gaza. Known for his sociability, energy, and love of adventure, he captured the hearts of those around him with his enthusiasm and compassion. He especially enjoyed reading adventure and fantasy stories and is remembered for his passion for life and his kind nature.
   
• Muhammad Said Shabat
  Killed on January 19, 2025, in Beit Hanoun when Israeli aircraft struck his family home, killing his entire family. Muhammad was known for his excellent behaviour, creativity, and academic distinction. He was always eager to help friends with schoolwork and library activities and was deeply involved in his community. His loss deprived Beit Hanoun of a bright, generous child who could have contributed greatly to his people.
   
• Raghad Ismail Barbakh
  (12 years old)
  Killed at the end of October 2023 while baking bread with her mother, who also died in the attack. Raghad was a friend of the library, loved reading, and enjoyed playing and living life like any other child. Her death alongside her family members while simply engaging in their daily chores is a tragic loss for the entire community.
   
• Muhammad Ibrahim Abu Sanima
  (10 years old)
  Killed by shrapnel from an Israeli missile while walking to a grocery store near his tent. Muhammad was an active and enthusiastic participant in library activities, loved reading, and was known for his energy and curiosity. His death reflects the indiscriminate violence that has claimed so many young lives.
   
• Israa Wahbi Barbakh
  (14 years old)
  Killed at the end of October 2023 while helping her mother bake bread alongside her cousin, Raghad. Israa was a member of the Rafah library who loved reading, learning, and playing. She shared the same fate as her cousin and several family members, their lives cut short by Israeli attacks.
   
• Muhammad Muhammad Mahmoud al-Za’anin
  (12 years old)
  Killed on August 23, 2025, while collecting firewood with his father in the Netzarim area. Muhammad was a regular visitor to the Beit Hanoun library and was loved for his humour, playfulness, and joy. His absence left a deep void among his friends and community members who cherished his spirited personality.
   
• Haitham Ahmed Abu Rizq
  (18 years old)
  Killed in May 2024 while fleeing from Rafah to Khan Yunis. Haitham was one of the library’s most dedicated participants and a talented volleyball player. He dreamt of representing Palestine on the national team. He was a pillar to the community.
   
• Julia Eid Al-Masri
  Killed with her parents and siblings in their home in Khan Yunis after an airstrike. Julia was known for her attentiveness, creativity, and strong personality. She loved reading and participating in discussions at the library, where she consistently shared thoughtful and imaginative insights. Her loss, along with her family’s, silenced a bright and curious young mind.
   
• Ayman Jamal Hamad
  Killed on June 20, 2025, in the Sheikh Radwan area of Gaza, along with his cousin, while playing outside their grandfather’s home where they had taken refuge after displacement from Beit Hanoun. Ayman was the eldest child in his family, helping his parents collect water and firewood, and was awaiting the birth of a new sibling. Despite the distance, he frequently attended library activities and was dedicated to reading and learning.

(To read the report delivered by IBBY Palestine, and other reports, please visit our Children in Crisis page for the Gaza Libraries on our website.)
 
Each of these children is a light extinguished through the scourge of war, which the UN Charter and all its States Parties vowed to prevent after the tragedy of the Second World War. Every individual, every government, and every State is responsible for protecting these young lives, and we have failed them.

We state once more our abhorrence and condemnation of Israel’s violations of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. We hope that accountability and justice will be achieved for the crimes that have been committed.

As we hope that the ceasefire endures, our hearts are with the families and loved ones of these children, alongside all the children and victims of war, and that they may begin to find some form of peace and solace in their communities. We urge all armed participants to lay down their weapons, and we implore Israel to abide by international humanitarian law and to cease its genocide in Gaza.

IBBY has vowed to rebuild the libraries in Gaza, and we will. We stand by our shared mission to protect the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the undeniable role of books as safe havens for all children in their journey of growth and discovery. These rights of all children must always be protected.
 
With the deepest sadness and in solidarity,
International Board on Books for Young People