Gaza children express solidarity with China against COVID-19

Gaza, Feb 17 (IANS) Around 100 Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip have joined a rally to show solidarity with China in its fight against the disease caused by novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Wearing green medical masks on Sunday, the children chanted support for China to "keep fighting this fatal disease" and for the Chinese children to live a "healthy and secure" life.

According to Xinhua news agency, the children also carried banners saying "China can kill the virus," "China is fighting a fatal disease alone to protect humanity," and "Palestinians are in solidarity with the people of China."

Jana Mohammad, 9, who participated in the rally at a non-governmental charity school in Gaza City, told Xinhua "we came here to express our full solidarity with the children of China."

"This virus doesn't differentiate between children, adults or elderly," she said while carrying a banner with #PalestineInSolidarityWithChina.

She added that she hopes China will soon get rid of this epidemic and the children of China will get back to their normal life.

Mohammad Ibrahim, 11, expressed his full solidarity with the Chinese people by wearing a green medical mask and holding pictures of Chinese children wearing the same medical masks.

"I came here to send a message to the children of China that they are not alone," he said, adding that he will stand with the Chinese children till the end of the epidemic.

Emad al-Agha, secretary general of the charity, said that the Palestinian people are in full solidarity with the people of China, adding "the Palestinians are confident that the government of China can win this battle and defeat the virus."

"The Chinese government has scientific and technological methods that have been developed over the past 70 years and we are certain that China can get rid of this virus as soon as possible," he said.

"We just want to say Thank You to China because China is fighting this fatal disease on behalf of the people of the universe," he said.

Fatten Hammam, chairman of the charity that is running the school, told Xinhua "we are confident that China will succeed in getting rid of the virus."

Meanwhile, a group of Palestinian youths from Gaza launched a campaign on social media platforms, urging the followers to send tweets and write posts that express full solidarity with China.

Ahmad Mas'oud, one of the campaign's organisers, told Xinhua that the campaign is aimed at shedding light on China's role in fighting COVID-19.