Mothers Against Genocide has announced a vigil and overnight encampment outside Leinster House, in Dublin, this Mother’s Day under the banner “Mothers Cry for Justice”. The event will feature music, poetry, and Palestinian speakers highlighting the devastating impact of the violence and displacement on families in Gaza.

A striking visual display of pillow babies, children’s shoes, and teddies will symbolise the countless mothers and children who are unable to celebrate Mother’s Day or even their basic right to live in safety.  

This action also coincides with Land Day on March 30, an annual commemoration of the 1976 killing of six unarmed Palestinians by Israeli forces during protests.

 

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According to the World Health Organisation’s Health Cluster Dashboard, 50,021 people were killed in Gaza between October 7, 2023 and March 22, 2025, 15,613 of them children. At least 70 children per day have lost their lives in this conflict. The vigil will feature 70 photographs of martyred children to reflect this grim reality.  

The event will culminate in an overnight encampment, urging the Irish Government to take meaningful action against what has been widely described as an ongoing genocide in the occupied Palestinian territories. A formal letter will be delivered to the Dáil on Monday, March 31, at 10am.  

Wafa’a Abushark, a member of Mothers Against Genocide, explained: “This day marks two important occasions – Mother’s Day in Ireland and Land Day in Palestine. There is a natural connection between motherhood and land-hood, as we all belong to our motherlands. We are using this day to send a clear message to our government: they must act immediately to stop the genocide against Palestinian mothers, children, and their homeland.”

Megan Ní Ghabhláin, another member, added: “For 18 months, we have campaigned relentlessly, begging our government to take meaningful action, and we have been ignored. This Mother’s Day, we have no choice but to camp outside Leinster House in the hope that our leaders will finally understand our desperation. We will never stop fighting for justice for the innocent children whose futures have been stolen by Israel’s genocide.”