Former Israeli Peace Negotiator Daniel Levy Calls for 300+ Hours of Silence for Gaza and Hostage Children at UN Security Council
Daniel Levy, a former Israeli peace negotiator, urged the UN Security Council for a minute of silence for every child killed in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, highlighting the Bibas children and over 18,000 Palestinian child casualties. His appeal emphasizes the need for global acknowledgment of all child victims amidst the ongoing violence.
hassan benyoub 
New York, February 25, 2025 – Daniel Levy, a former Israeli peace negotiator, made a poignant appeal to the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday, urging a minute of silence for every child killed in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. His statement highlighted the cases of the Bibas children, kidnapped during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, alongside the staggering figure of more than 18,000 Palestinian children allegedly killed in Gaza, suggesting the collective silence would last over 300 hours.
A Call for Equal Recognition
Daniel Levy, ancien négociateur de paix israélien, s'est adressé aujourd'hui au Conseil de sécurité des Nations Unies.
« Une minute de silence pour chacun des enfants Bibas serait appropriée, tout comme une minute de silence pour chacun des plus de 18 000 enfants palestiniens… pic.twitter.com/80hMv1FBax — L'oeil Medias (@LoeilMedias1) February 25, 2025
Speaking during a Security Council briefing on the Middle East, Levy emphasized the human cost of the conflict, stating, “A minute of silence for each of the Bibas children would be appropriate, just as a minute of silence for each of the more than 18,000 Palestinian children murdered during Israel’s devastation of Gaza. This silence would last more than 300 hours.” The remark, captured in a post on X by @LoeilMedias1, underscores the disproportionate loss of child lives and calls for global acknowledgment of all victims, regardless of nationality.
The Bibas Children: Symbols of the Hostage Crisis
Levy’s reference to the Bibas children—Ariel (4 years old) and Kfir (9 months old)—strikes a chord as a symbol of the ongoing hostage crisis. The siblings, along with their parents Shiri and Yarden, were abducted from the Nir Oz kibbutz during the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas. Recent reports, including statements from Hamas in February 2025, claim that Shiri and her children were killed in an Israeli airstrike, though Israel has not confirmed their deaths, leaving their fate uncertain Hamas says Shiri Bibas and her children are dead. Many Israelis don't believe it - ABC News. Their case has garnered significant media attention, often featured in Israeli campaigns, as noted in Is Israel Weaponizing the Tragic Deaths of the Bibas Children?.
Gaza’s Child Casualties: A Disputed Figure
Levy’s claim of more than 18,000 Palestinian children killed in Gaza has drawn scrutiny. While exact numbers remain contested due to the challenges of wartime data collection, reports provide context. In March 2024, the UNRWA estimated at least 12,300 children killed Gaza: Number of children killed higher than from four years of world conflict | United Nations in Türkiye. By January 2025, UNICEF reported over 14,500 child deaths since the war began The conflict in Gaza has been particularly deadly for Palestinian children. Oxfam’s January 2025 analysis cited over 11,000 child deaths in the past year More women and children killed in Gaza by Israeli military than any other recent conflict in a single year – Oxfam | Oxfam International. Given the timing of Levy’s statement, the figure could have risen, but verification is ongoing amid the conflict’s complexity.
The Math Behind the Silence
Levy’s proposal for over 300 hours of silence stems from his calculation: one minute per child for more than 18,000 Palestinian children alone totals 18,000 minutes, or 300 hours (12.5 days). Including the Bibas children, this duration could slightly increase, amplifying his call to reflect the scale of loss and urging international action.
Reactions and Implications
The statement has sparked reactions on social media, with users on X praising Levy’s humanity while others question his figures or motives. Some, like @ParoleGenocide, asked about Levy’s authority to address the UN, given his past role [X post by @LoeilMedias1 and replies]. The use of “devastation of Gaza by Israel” has been seen as provocative, fueling diplomatic tensions. Yet, Levy’s appeal aligns with broader humanitarian concerns, as the UN and NGOs continue to report alarming child casualty rates in Gaza, unmatched in recent conflicts Children in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict - Wikipedia.
