Children's Festivals and Water Distribution: Sa7ten's Unwavering Stand Against IOF Indiscriminate Violence in Gaza
Date: July 10, 2025
From a children's activity organized by Sa7ten's field team in Gaza
"We wanted to convey the idea that we remain, that we are here." These words from Abu Salah, Operations Field Coordinator, reflect the profound spirit of Sumud (steafastness) that defines our people in Gaza and our dedicated team. Despite the relentless violence, our team continues to deliver water and organise activities for children- countering the Israeli Occupation Forces’ (IOF) deliberate engineering of suffering. The challenges are immense, from navigating targeted massacres to confronting hyperinflation and a collapsed economy, yet our commitment to our people remains unyielding.
Sa7ten’s operations address immediate humanitarian needs and aim to preserve human dignity.
Our team has consistently delivered critical water supplies to communities in urgent need. In the first week of July our team dispatched water convoys carrying 21,000L of water. On July 2, 2025, we delivered 7000L of water to the Al-Nasser neighborhood following a direct community appeal. Although we aimed for two truckloads, the destruction of operational water stations allowed for only one to be delivered that day. Despite these immense challenges, we ensured this crucial resource reached those in need. Just two days later, on July 4th, we were able to conduct two more water distribution efforts in the Al-Nasser neighborhood and around Haider Abdel Shafi roundabout. These efforts, as always, were a direct response to urgent appeals, some ongoing since the previous day. We dispatched two trucks, each carrying a further 7000L of water. Our operations were meticulously coordinated with local teams, ensuring timely communication about our arrival for efficient distribution. People were informed that we would arrive between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM, allowing them to prepare containers to receive the water, streamlining the process.
On July 7th, our teams organized a series of children's festivals across three locations. These events were planned over three days, involving collaboration with a specialized entertainment troupe, including clowns, a Dabke dance group, and sound system operators. The activities featured face painting, various performance segments, and interactive games, all designed to create an atmosphere of joy for children and their families. To ensure wide participation, we printed approximately 2,000 invitation cards, which were distributed to families of around 5 people per family. Each of the three festivals saw a significant turnout, with around 10,000 people attending.
Ahmad, our Operations Director, shared the impact: "It was an opportunity to steal moments of joy, to steal moments from a past or from a future, God willing, where there will be hope. The reception was truly beautiful. For people to see that someone still remembers their child, or that they can take their child to a place when there's no park, no place left to make your child happy – when a family receives an invitation or hears about it and sees there are prizes, Dabke, and children's activities with songs, it means everything. Everyone is happy when their child is happy."
The perception of these efforts among our people was overwhelmingly positive. The sheer number of attendees, mirroring the number of children, clearly demonstrated the profound need for such initiatives amidst the ongoing violence. Our team members did not just witness the joy; they lived it alongside the participants, sharing in the dancing, competitions, and laughter. As Abu Salah, reflected, "The reception to this initiative was truly beautiful. We didn't just feel the people's happiness; we lived it with them. Our youth experienced that moment of Dabke, competition, and laughter, even as massacres and casualties were ongoing. We wanted to convey the idea that we remain, that we are here."
The successful execution of these activities, under unimaginably difficult circumstances, stands as a testament to the team's unwavering commitment. Our ability to create spaces for joy and a semblance of normalcy for children and their families, even if only for a few hours, is a key achievement. These moments are vital for the psychological well-being of our people, offering a precious break from the constant fear, loss, and hardship imposed by the IOF. The collective experience of laughter, music, and shared happiness reinforces a sense of community and hope. The continuation of such efforts is critical. In an environment where every aspect of normal life has been shattered by the Zionist entity, these activities provide crucial support, nurturing the human spirit and offering a glimpse of a future free from suffering.
Implementing these activities is fraught with immense challenges, all directly exacerbated by the actions of the Zionist state. Indiscriminate shelling makes any movement perilous. The constant threat of bombardment means that every delivery, every journey, is undertaken with extreme risk to our team members. Abu Salah highlights the "intense and concentrated bombardments" in the Al-Tuffah area on July 4th. This ever-present danger makes movement and access extremely difficult. Furthermore, the systematic destruction of infrastructure - including displacement centers, schools, and hospitals - exacerbates the crisis, creating an immense burden on our operations.
The ongoing genocide perpetrated by the Zionist state of Israel and the IOF, along with the systematic challenges described in this report, demand an immediate and robust response. The realities on the ground – the deliberate starvation, the incessant violence, the economic strangulation, and the psychological torment – are not abstract concepts; they are the lived experience of our people every single day. Their suffering is a direct consequence of an unconscionable campaign of brutality, executed with an unprecedented level of impunity and criminality.
We call upon International Communities to move beyond rhetoric and implement immediate, concrete measures to ensure an unconditional and permanent ceasefire. This includes enforcing international law, demanding unimpeded humanitarian access, and holding the Zionist state of Israel and its IOF accountable for their crimes. The deliberate weaponization of starvation and the targeting of aid distribution must be unequivocally condemned and stopped. The international community's failure to act decisively grants further license to this criminality.
We implore people with sound conscience around the world to continue raising their voices, advocating for justice, and providing whatever support they can. Every act of solidarity, every contribution, however small, directly impacts lives and offers a glimmer of hope in the face of unimaginable darkness. Do not look away. Do not normalize the horror. Your unwavering commitment is crucial in challenging this injustice and ensuring that humanity prevails.
