Giant portrait of Gaza girl Hind Rajab appears on Yorkshire beach ahead of Oscars

Giant portrait of Gaza girl Hind Rajab appears on Yorkshire beach ahead of Oscars
March 13, 2026

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Giant portrait of Gaza girl Hind Rajab appears on Yorkshire beach ahead of Oscars

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A giant sand portrait of Hind Rajab has appeared on a Yorkshire beach ahead of the Academy Awards on Sunday.

Hind, 5, is the focus of The Voice of Hind Rajab, which has been nominated for best international film at the awards ceremony.

The movie tells the story of a worker at the Palestine Red Crescent Society, who attempts to rescue Hind from a car under fire by the Israel Defence Forces in Gaza City in January 2024.

Hind, her aunt and uncle, and her three cousins were all killed in the incident.

The work, which was created in Cayton Bay near Scarborough, shows Hind’s face drawn in the sand.

Below the portrait are the words: “I am scared. Come get me please. Listen to the voice of Hind Rajab.”

Actor Motaz Malhees in a scene from the film The Voice of Hind Rajab (CineCaníbal)

The artists behind the portrait, A Letter From Lucy, said: “Hind said that after the war she just wanted to go and play at the beach, just as any other child would want to do. But because she was born in Gaza, she was instead trapped in a car under fire by soldiers.

“The drawing is a tribute to her and encourages people to watch the film. It is uncomfortable to watch as it emotionally connects you to the desperation of a child in the Gaza conflict. The purpose is to provoke empathy which challenges our conscience.

“Not only should people watch the film so that Hind’s voice is not forgotten, but to also remember the other 20,000 children that have died during the conflict. This is their story as well as hers.”

The movie, directed by Tunisian film-maker Kaouther Ben Hania, won the Silver Lion award at the Venice Film Festival.

It was also longlisted for the 2026 Bafta Film Awards for best director and film not in the English language.

The film, based on true events, uses the real audio from Hind’s call to the Palestine Red Crescent Society.

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