Everest summit reached by kite carrying Gaza children’s messages
Jordanian Palestinian mountaineer Mostafa Salameh confirms summit arrival as team seeks $10 million for medical aid
A kite bearing handwritten messages and signatures from children in Gaza has reached the summit of Mount Everest, carried to the world’s highest peak by a team of Nepali Sherpas led by Italian filmmaker Leonardo Avezzano. The group arrived at the summit at 10:48am local time on Thursday, confirming the successful delivery of the humanitarian appeal to the roof of the world.
The expedition was spearheaded by Jordanian Palestinian mountaineer Mostafa Salameh, who remained at Everest Base Camp due to frostbite and a blood clot in his left hand. Salameh confirmed the summit via a social media post from the base camp, describing the achievement as a symbolic act to draw global attention to the suffering of children in Gaza. He stated that the mission aims to raise $10 million for medical aid for children in the region.
Salameh, a 56-year-old mountaineer who has summited Everest four times including his first ascent in 2008, described the situation in Gaza as an "Israeli genocide" in his communications. He noted that the mission was not yet complete, as the team must safely return to Base Camp. The climbers will assess weather conditions to decide whether to sleep at Camp Four or descend to Camp Two.
Avezzano and the Sherpa team navigated the "death zone," where oxygen levels drop to approximately 15 percent, to ensure the messages reached the summit. Salameh praised the team’s courage and effort, stating that they carried the voices and hopes of children who deserve to be seen by the world. He emphasised that the ascent was about humanity and hope, proving that something beautiful can rise from darkness.
Salameh, who holds a knighthood from King Abdullah II of Jordan and is one of 20 people to have completed the Explorer’s Slam, said the mission was deeply personal. Having previously met with children in refugee camps in Egypt, he stated that the experience motivated his connection to the cause. He insisted that the risks of climbing Everest were nothing compared to the endurance of Palestinians in Gaza.
