“We’re playing Martyr,” says young girl, “the Martyr is the beloved of Allah"

Four young Palestinian girls, approximately 4 to 6 years old, carry a younger girl around in an infant seat.

It could be a normal children’s game. Only the infant seat represents a stretcher and the baby is the “dead Martyr.”

The children are playing “the Martyr game.”

During the game, the girls giggle and praise the “Martyr” child because: "The Martyr is the beloved of Allah."

This game, and the girls’ joy is the terrifying result of decades of PA education of Palestinian children to see death for Allah and “Palestine” as an ideal and a goal. Palestinian Media Watch has documented hundreds of statements elevating death as a Martyr to a supreme and praiseworthy goal, even for children.

In Fatah’s Waed magazine for 6-15-year-olds Palestinian children are taught:

“We will die, and Palestine will live.” 

In 2002, at the height of the PA’s 5-year terror war against Israel (the second Intifada), PMW likewise exposed a video of young Palestinian boys playing “the Martyr game.” For over two decades nothing has changed: 

Text on screen: "The children of Gaza explain the Martyr game."

Girls (giggling): "The Martyr is the beloved of Allah."

Man: "What are you playing?"

Girl 1: "We're playing Martyr."

Girl 2 (giggling): "We're playing. This is my sister, she has to be the child [Martyr]. We carry her and play."

Man: "What do you tell her?"

Girls: "The Martyr is the beloved of Allah."

Man: "Okay, go on and put her back in place, quickly."

[Al-Jazeera TV, Twitter account, Oct. 22, 2023]

PMW archive:

Palestinian children play “the Martyr game” during the PA’s terror campaign (2000-2005, the second Intifada)

Palestinian children: " With spirit and blood we will redeem you, oh Martyr! Allahu Akbar!" …
PA TV narrator: "That's the Martyr’s game."

[Official PA TV, July 1, 2002]

For PMW’s reports on the current war, click here.