On Saturday, residents in 11 cities across the Netherlands participated in a coordinated event to fly kites in support of children living in Gaza. The initiative was organized by the Plant an Olive Tree Foundation. According to the organizers, the demonstration was intended to draw public attention to the impact of the conflict on children and to protest Israeli military actions and displacement threats in the region.

The event also served as a symbolic response to previous tensions involving kites. Specifically, organizers noted that the demonstration was a protest against Israeli rhetoric regarding kites flown from Gaza into Israeli settlements near the border, which have been cited by Israeli officials as a security threat. In Rotterdam, a significant number of participants gathered at Noordereiland Square to participate in the kite-flying activities.

While the event focused on the humanitarian plight of children, it also highlighted the polarized nature of the conflict, as the kite has become a symbol of both protest and security concern depending on the perspective. The organizers emphasized that the act of flying kites was meant to represent a peaceful expression of solidarity, contrasting this with the military and political tensions that have defined the recent history of the region.