Art installation uses 15,000 teddy bears

Art installation uses 15,000 teddy bears in Qatar to represent children killed by Israel in Gaza; watch video
Arab media reports that more than 41,000 Palestinians, mostly children and women, have been killed since Israel launched its offensive on October 7
In Doha, the capital of Qatar, an art installation featuring more than 15,000 small teddy bears has been unveiled, each symbolizing a child killed in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza. The work, titled "Echo of Lost Innocence," was set up in the Barahat Msheireb area of central Doha and aims to highlight the brutality of the war, with a special focus on the suffering of Palestinian children over the past 11 months.
The bears, wearing black T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan “I am not just a number. I am human. With an identity. With a homeland. I am Palestine. #FreePalestine,” are lined up in rows.

Al Jazeera reports that more than 41,000 Palestinians, mostly children and women, have been killed since Israel launched its offensive on October 7, following an attack by Hamas and other Palestinian groups on Israeli territory that left at least 1,100 dead. The Israeli military action has been described by many as a “war of revenge,” marked by indiscriminate attacks on Palestinian civilians.

The installation, which will be on display until September 26, proposes more than just a reflection: each bear will be sold, with the proceeds donated to the children of Gaza, in an attempt to bring some relief to a population affected by the war.

The creator of the work, Bachir Mohammad, a 40-year-old Lebanese artist, said the idea came about as a wake-up call for the international community to step up efforts for peace.

"These sculptures are simply a reflection of the screams and cries of the children who have been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023. They are not just numbers, they are human beings who have identities, who have a homeland called Palestine. The world needs to work harder to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and restore hope to the children of Palestine," said Bachir Mohammad, an artist at the event.

Mohammad, who lived through the 1996 and 2006 wars between Israel and Hezbollah, noted that when he began the project, the number of children killed was less than 4,000. Today, that number is over 15,000 and continues to grow.

The visual aspect of the work is also striking due to the way the bears are presented. Each one is wrapped in a concrete block, representing the destruction caused by Israeli airstrikes.

An Italian visitor, who preferred to remain anonymous, commented on the effect the installation had on his family. He said explaining to his children that the toys symbolized dead children was a difficult experience.

“My children need to understand that war only brings death and destruction,” he told Al Jazeera. “I hope that in the future they will understand the complexity of these conflicts, but for now they need to know that war does not result in anything good.”

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