A Nobel Prize for the children of Gaza? The initiative gaining momentum in Italy
A philosophy professor in Naples has proposed awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to children in the Gaza Strip, sparking a heated debate in Italy. While the initiative has gained support from left-wing politicians, the Italian Jewish community has strongly condemned it as morally biased, arguing that it ignores the suffering of Israeli children and the role of Hamas.
In Italy, the situation in the Gaza Strip and the plight of Gazan children have become a focal point of media and academic discourse. A new controversy has emerged following an initiative published in the Catholic newspaper "Avvenire" by Professor Eugenio Mazzarella of the University of Naples, who is calling for a Nobel Peace Prize to be awarded to the children of the Strip.
Citing UN data, Mazzarella claims that one child has been killed in Gaza every day since the last ceasefire. He argues that awarding the prize to all the children collectively would shine a spotlight on their suffering. The petition has garnered support from thousands of citizens, labor unions, and clergy. Elly Schlein, leader of the Democratic Party, expressed her support, stating that there must be no silence regarding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Franciscan priest Ibrahim Faltas added that the initiative would help restore the meaning of the word "peace."
However, the initiative has faced sharp backlash from the Italian Jewish community. Walter Magnaghi, president of the Jewish community of Milan, described the proposal as "moral apartheid," arguing that it erases the existence of Jewish children who were victims of a war Israel did not seek. Daniele Nahoum, a Jewish member of the Milan City Council, suggested that if a Nobel Prize were to be awarded to children affected by war, it should include everyone—including the Israeli children massacred on October 7, as well as children in Ukraine and Sudan. Nahoum emphasized that Hamas bears responsibility for using children as human shields and for initiating the conflict. He further criticized the use of the term "genocide," labeling it a narrative designed to incite antisemitism.
While Nobel Prize regulations generally restrict awards to living individuals (with a maximum of three recipients per category), Italian media have noted that Article 5 of the regulations might allow for the nomination of organizations or individuals working for the welfare of Gaza's children, even if the children themselves cannot be the direct recipients.
