Nobel Prize for Gaza's Children? The Initiative Gaining Momentum in Italy – and Its Chances of Coming to Fruition
A philosophy professor in Naples, Eugenio Mazzarella, has launched a petition to award the Nobel Peace Prize to the children of Gaza, claiming that 300 children have been killed in the Strip since the ceasefire. The initiative, published in the Italian newspaper 'Avvenire', is gaining traction in Italy and has won support from thousands, including left-wing figures and clergy. The Jewish community in Italy opposes it, arguing that it erases the Jewish children killed in the war.
In Italy, a storm is brewing over an initiative by a philosophy professor at a university in Naples, Eugenio Mazzarella, to award the Nobel Peace Prize to the children of the Gaza Strip. The initiative was published in the Italian newspaper 'Avvenire', which is linked to the Catholic Church, and is based on UN data stating that 300 children under 18 have been killed in the Strip since the last ceasefire, at a rate of one death per day. Mazzarella published a petition signed by thousands of citizens, clergy, municipalities, and trade unions, and has received support from left-wing members of the political system, including the leader of the 'Democratic Party', Elly Schlein, who called for breaking the silence around the situation of children in Gaza. In contrast, the Jewish community in Italy attacked the initiative, with the president of the community in Milan, Walter Meghnagi, saying it 'erases the existence of Jewish children who became victims in a war Israel did not want'. City council member Daniel Nahum proposed awarding the Nobel Prize to all children of war, including Israelis, Ukrainians, and Sudanese, and emphasized Hamas's responsibility. Italian media noted that Article 5 of the prize's regulations allows recommending a candidate for the welfare of Gaza's children, even if not for the children themselves.