Church Cancels Gaza Death Exhibition After Hamas Fighter Names Surface
Translated & summarized from Channel 9 by baba
The Church of England prematurely closed an exhibition in Leeds featuring embroidered names of Gaza residents after the local Jewish community presented evidence that names of Hamas fighters were included. The church apologized to the Jewish community and condemned Hamas, while exhibition organizers defended their work.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Gaza death exhibition in Leeds closed early due to Hamas fighter names.
- Church of England exhibition sourced names from Gaza Health Ministry.
- Jewish community alerted church to potential inclusion of militants.
- Church initially found no militants, but later closed exhibition.
- Organizers defended the memorial as a tribute and act of resistance.
The Church of England has prematurely closed an exhibition titled "Stitch Their Names Together" in Leeds, England, after allegations emerged that names of Hamas fighters were included among those of Gaza residents killed since October 2023. The exhibition, displayed at Leeds Minster, featured 90 panels with the embroidered names of 16,800 individuals, sourced from Gaza's Health Ministry registry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Initially scheduled to run until September 20, the exhibition opened on September 11. Prior to its opening, the Leeds Jewish Representative Council had alerted the church that the list might contain the names of 12 known terrorists. The church stated it verified the 90 panels and found these specific names absent, proceeding with the exhibition. However, on September 18, the Council presented new information alleging the presence of at least 18 known Hamas militants among the displayed names. Following this, Leeds Minster immediately closed the exhibition.
According to The Times, the Council's own subsequent investigation identified 25 individuals allegedly linked to banned terrorist groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The church confirmed that the initial information, leading to the closure, involved a number of terrorists verified by the church itself, while the larger figure of 25 came from the Council's independent review.
Simon Myerson, chair of the Leeds Jewish Representative Council, stated that the community was not consulted before the exhibition's placement. A BBC report indicated that church staff prevented activists from photographing the panels. In response to the controversy, Leeds Minster issued a strong condemnation of Hamas, denouncing the October 7 attacks, including civilian killings and hostage-taking. The church apologized for damaging relations with parts of the Jewish community and pledged to rebuild trust.
Organizers of the exhibition, however, denied glorifying terrorists. Project founder Mary Evers described the criticism as an attempt to discredit the work of hundreds of embroiderers and supporters. She reiterated that all names were taken from the Gaza Health Ministry registry. The "Stitch Their Names Together" project defines itself as a memorial to those killed in Gaza, aiming to create a space for mourning and remembrance, and framing the events as "genocide" and the embroidery as an act of "resistance."