Ameer Iyad Salim Areef

Location Gaza

11-year-old Ameer from Al Sheja’iya, Gaza, was a shy boy. He was very close to his grandmother and loved listening to her stories when it was bedtime. He also liked playing football in the street and playing computer games. He liked to eat the traditional Palestinian dish, Maftoul. He was doing well at school and hoped to go to university to continue his studies. He wanted to be a judge like his uncle.

On 9 July 2014, when Ameer and his brother Mohammed were on their way to the grocery store to pick up some yoghurt, an Israeli drone fired a missile at them. As a result, Ameer and his brother were killed instantly.

“It was really shocking. The kids were playing in front of us just an hour before they were killed. Their father went to the hospital to see Ameer, but he was shocked to learn that both of his kids died,” the grandmother said.