In a world broken by violence and division, the call to “plant a seed of hope” has never been more urgent. As the children in Gaza pay the price of war, Malta’s reaffirmed commitment to peace serves as a quiet yet powerful reminder that hope remains the only path worth walking. 

At the top of his voice, the Palestinian Ambassador to Malta hailed Prime Minister Robert Abela as the first EU leader to call for a ceasefire and send tonnes of humanitarian aid to Gaza. “We rely on your efforts,” he cried.

Hope must die last. In the context of the Middle East conflict, particularly the war in Gaza, this sentiment becomes more than a phrase; it becomes a moral imperative. If hope is extinguished, so too is any prospect of a just and peaceful future. Without it, we surrender not only to despair but to the failure of humanity itself.

The October 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas were a horrifying act of terror that must be condemned unequivocally. No just cause can ever excuse terrorism—no “ifs,” no “buts,” no exceptions. In any society that aspires to peace and democracy, such violence is intolerable.

Yet, the path forward cannot be paved by outrage alone. A lasting solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict requires diplomacy, trust-building, and the courage to compromise. Peace is not found in rhetoric or retaliation; it is forged through empathy, mutual recognition, and the hard work of rebuilding what decades of war have torn apart.

At the recent official ceremony raising the Palestinian flag in Malta, the Palestinian Embassy stood as a poignant yet powerful reminder of what is still possible. It was a proud moment not only for Palestinians living among us but also for Malta—a nation reaffirming its commitment to peace and solidarity. It signalled that hope is not lost and that a different future can still be imagined.

Palestinian Ambassador to Malta, Fadi Hanania, captured this spirit when he said:

“Palestine has been bleeding for 70 years. It will not clear the tears of the mothers who lost their children. It will not calm the cries of the children. And it will not heal the Palestinians who were injured. But it will plant a seed of hope.”

His words echo with painful truth but also with a vision: that hope can be planted even amid suffering.

That suffering is immense. Over 20,000 children are estimated to have been killed in Gaza—an almost unimaginable toll. Many more now endure hunger, malnutrition, and trauma that will echo through generations. These children were not soldiers; they were dreams cut short, futures denied. Their loss is a stain on the conscience of the world.

But amid this devastation, we are faced with a choice. We can allow grief to turn into hatred and prolong the suffering in Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel—or we can choose another way: to plant the seeds of hope, even in the darkest of times. The road to peace, through a viable two-state solution where Israelis and Palestinians live side by side in dignity and security, may be long and difficult. But it remains the only path worth walking.

This is not just the responsibility of leaders. It is a shared duty for all people of goodwill, in every society that believes in justice, humanity, and the rights of future generations.

Hope must die last, not because it is easy, but because it is necessary. We owe it to the children who are gone, and even more, to those who still live.