A mural in honor of children killed in regional violence and unrest in Iran will be unveiled in Israel, presenting the victims through a symbolic depiction of a children’s football match, according to project details released by its organizers and artist Hooman Khalili.
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The installation centers on Druze children in green, representing 12 children killed by a Hezbollah rocket on July 27, 2024, in Majdal Shams while playing football, facing children in red symbolizing minors killed in Iran since September 2022. The figures are depicted as players rather than adversaries.
Above the scene appears Zahra Azadpour, a young female footballer killed during unrest in Iran in January 2026, portrayed as the referee.
The mural incorporates imagery of Nabi Shu’ayb (Jethro’s Tomb) in the Galilee and Tehran’s Azadi Tower, alongside the Lion and Sun symbol, which the project describes as representing resilience and identity.
The Druze children named in the installation are Fajr Laith, Ameer Rabeea, Hazem Akram, Wadeea Ibrahim, Iseel Nashaat, Yazan Nayeif, Finis Adham, Alma Ayman, Naji Taher, Milad Muadad, and Nathem Fakher.
Children cited as among those killed in Iran include Kian Pirfalak, Sarina Esmailzadeh, Nika Shakarami, Asra Panahi, Mohammad Eghbal, Hasti Narouei, Mona Naghib, Helen Ahmadi, Ali Rezaei, and Mirshekar Abolfazl, along with others.
According to the project description, Amnesty International has reported that Iranian security forces killed children during protests using live ammunition, metal pellets, and beatings, and that authorities attempted to conceal the incidents and silence families.
Artist wants mural installed in US before FIFA World Cup
Artist Hooman Khalili told The Media Line: “I see these murals and banners as the roots of something much bigger. The roots are here in Israel – but my hope is that the tree will grow and fully blossom in the United States.”
He added, “My prayer is to have this mural installed in the US before or during the FIFA World Cup, when the eyes of the world are watching. When that moment comes, I want people everywhere to see the truth – to understand the brutality of the Islamic regime and the reality that children are being targeted.”
“This is about making sure their stories are seen, remembered, and impossible to ignore,” Khalili concluded.
Hooman Khalili is an Iranian-born artist, filmmaker, and activist known for large-scale murals supporting Iranian protesters and highlighting human rights issues. Born in Tehran in 1974, he grew up in California and has worked in film, radio, and public art projects across Israel and the United States.
Source:
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