On Friday morning, not all the students in the seventh grade at Marienlyst School showed up for maths class. – Children die somehow, says Bjørn Isak Winther. The Palestine scarf is tied tightly around the neck. It is a cold morning in front of the Storting. There are not many of them, but you can hear the students well. – Today we are demonstrating for the children in Palestine. It is about many children who die during a normal school day, says Winther. The latest figures from Hamas-controlled authorities show that 11,320 people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes. Of these, 4,650 are children. Today they did not attend class, like all the school pupils in Gaza: – We symbolize the children who are no longer allowed to go to school because of the war. They would rather hide and be afraid of dying than go to school, says classmate Hermann Roald Eriksen. School strike for the children Not many of them knew much about the conflict between Israel and Palestine before 7 October this year. In recent weeks, the twelve seventh graders have been talking about what they can do for the children in Gaza and to show that they care. – School is important, but children’s freedom is much more important, says Bjørn Isak Winther. – School is important, but children’s freedom is much more important, says Bjørn Isak Winther. Photo: Emma-Marie B. Whittaker / news – We are doing this to support the children in Gaza and Palestine, says Agnes Marijanna Heier. – How do they think the children in Gaza are doing? – Absolutely terrible. There are many children who have lost their parents and family, and have to live in constant fear. Suddenly they become the bomb, says Amanda Heffermehl Utne. They drew the posters themselves and practiced the slogan: “Let the children live, let the children sleep, let the children dream”. Agnes Marijanna Heier and Amanda Heffermehl Utne did not know much about the Middle East before 7 October this year. Now they are asking Jonas Gahr Støre to do more for the children in Gaza. Photo: Emma-Marie B. Whittaker / news – Jonas hears, children in Gaza die – The children walk around in fear of death as they hear the airplane alarms and bombings. Friends and family die. We can’t do anything there and therefore we want to do something here, says Vinther. – But Norway can do something. Norway can give money. Norway can provide food and water, says Eriksen. Hermann Roald Eriksen says they symbolize the children in Gaza who are no longer allowed to go to school because of the war. Photo: Emma-Marie B. Whittaker / news They ask Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre to do more for the children in Gaza. – Jonas is prime minister. I know that he is the only one in Norway who can do something. We cannot send money, food and water. We want to show him that we want to do something too, says Vinther. – It is important that we children also try to do something. That has a lot to say, says Eriksen. – Democracy works Line Khateeb, head of the Palestine Committee, was also in the vicinity of the Storting on Friday morning. She was touched by the demonstrators. – It’s because children also get to know what’s happening down there now, and they see that the children in Gaza are trapped without food or electricity. They see the children being killed. It is strong that they show solidarity. Storting representative for the Socialist Left Party (SV), Marian Hussein, asked the demonstrators what they wanted the politicians to do for the children in Gaza. Photo: Emma-Marie B. Whittaker / news Marian Hussein, parliamentary representative for the Socialist Left Party, also had a chat with the seventh graders. – Now I was very happy, because this is something that touches a lot of children and a lot of people. It’s good to see that they are showing commitment, that’s how democracy works, Hussein told the protesters.
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