Farah Al-Qara
Age 14
Farah was a 13-year-old girl who was chaotic in class, shouted out answers, and made noise. But she wasn’t a bad student. She hated math and once asked her algebra teacher why anyone would choose to study mathematics as a profession. She once bought her teacher black coffee at the school coffee shop. No reason: just to jokingly call her crazy for becoming a math teacher. She loved sports, especially soccer, and excelled at it. She cried when she didn’t understand something, then tried harder. She even participated in the school radio program. Like many kids, she loved her family and spoke about them deeply. She especially wanted to be like her older sister.
Farah was trying to get out of Gaza with her family. Like every family in the strip, the crossing was closed unless they could pay for an exit permit. The fees were impossible. On May 8, 2024, Farah and her 21-year-old brother Adham were in a crowd in Khan Younis, trying to get supplies for their parents and siblings. Suddenly, men in Israeli tanks opened fire on everyone. No warning. They shot heavy rounds at a thirteen-year-old girl walking in a group. Farah, Adham, and other innocent people were murdered while their family was still trying to collect money to leave right before the crossing closed permanently.
The votes that paid for the weapons
House Bill, H.R. 6126 (House): Emergency supplemental appropriations for Israel