Giant portrait of Gaza girl Hind Rajab appears on Yorkshire beach ahead of Oscars
A giant sand portrait of Hind Rajab was revealed on the Yorkshire coast ahead of the Academy Awards on Sunday.
Hind, 5, is the focal point Voice of Hind Recep, It was nominated for the best international film award at the awards ceremony.
The film tells the story of a worker from the Palestinian Red Crescent who tries to rescue Hind from a car that came under fire by the Israeli Defense Forces in Gaza City in January 2024.
Hind, her aunt, her uncle and three cousins died in the incident.
The work, created in Cayton Bay near Scarborough, shows Hind’s face drawn in the sand.
Below the portrait are the following words: “I’m scared. Please come and get me. Listen to Recep Hind’s voice.”
The artists behind the portrait, “A Letter from Lucy,” said: “Hind said that after the war, she just wanted to go to the beach and play, just like other children 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 him and encourages people to watch the film. It is uncomfortable to watch because it connects you emotionally to the helplessness of a child in the Gaza conflict. The aim is to provoke an empathy that challenges our conscience.”
“People should watch the film not only to ensure that Hind’s voice is not forgotten, but also to remember the other 20,000 children who died during the conflict. This is their story as much as it is hers.”
Directed by Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, the film won the Silver Lion award at the Venice Film Festival.
It was also longlisted for best non-English director and film at the 2026 Bafta Film Awards.
Based on true events, the film uses real audio of Hind’s call to the Palestinian Red Crescent.
