Gaza Children's Messages Reach Mount Everest Summit

A team of mountaineers has carried a kite filled with handwritten messages and signatures from Palestinian children in Gaza to the summit of Mount Everest, symbolising hope, resilience and global solidarity with the people of the besieged territory.

The expedition reached the world’s highest peak at 10:48am local time on Thursday, according to Jordanian Palestinian mountaineer Mostafa Salameh, who launched the mission to raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

A group of Nepali Sherpas, led by Italian explorer and filmmaker Leonardo Avezzano, successfully carried the kite to the summit after days of dangerous climbing through harsh weather and extreme altitude conditions.

Salameh, who remained at Everest base camp because of frostbite and a blood clot in his hand, said the mission aimed to ensure that the voices and dreams of Gaza’s children reached “the top of the world”.

The 56-year-old mountaineer also launched the expedition to raise $10 million in medical aid for children affected by the ongoing devastation in Gaza.

In an emotional message shared after the summit, Salameh described the moment as a victory for hope and humanity.

“From the rubble and pain of Gaza to the roof of the world, a dream refused to die,” he said.

He praised the Sherpa team and Avezzano for risking their lives to carry the symbolic kite through Everest’s dangerous “death zone”, where oxygen levels drop to life-threatening levels.

Salameh said the mission was deeply personal because of his own experience growing up in a refugee camp and his recent encounters with displaced Palestinian children.

He explained that the expedition was not simply about climbing a mountain but about telling the story of Palestinian children to the world and showing that hope can survive even in the darkest circumstances.

The climber, known globally for completing the prestigious “Explorer’s Slam” challenge, said Palestinians inspired him through their resilience and determination to remain on their land despite destruction and hardship.

The team is now focused on safely descending from Mount Everest after completing the symbolic humanitarian mission.