GAZA, July 30 (Xinhua) — Palestinian children in the besieged Gaza Strip on Thursday tried to break the world record by flying self-made kites simultaneously.
Zuhir Haneya, an official who oversaw the event, said up to 6,000 children participated and that more than half of them succeeded in flying their kites.
“Seventeen kids from every 20 children succeeded in flying their kites at the same time,” he said.
The current record of kite flown simultaneously is 713, registered last year in Germany.
“This means we have broken the record,” Haneya said.
The children, who participate in annual summer camps sponsored by the UN Relief Works Agency (UNRWA), hope to break up the Israeli blockade on their territory.
John Ging, director of UNRWA operations, said “We have to break the harsh siege by making the world record in flying the kites.” He added that the UNRWA will stage more activities among Gaza children against the blockade.
Israel imposed a near-total closure on Gaza when the Islamic Hamas movement seized power there in June 2007.
No official or judge from the Guinness Book of World Records was sent to Gaza to oversee the “most kites flown simultaneously” attempt due to travel restrictions into Gaza, said a well-informed source.
The colorful kites flew with slogans calling for the lift of the blockade.
Shadi Abu Kmail, 13, who wrote “I want to live” on his kite, said, “I have come here to let the world hear us and work to lift the siege.”
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