Last month, Israel Defense Forces launched a campaign against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip. Operation Pillar of Defense lasted 8 days (November 14 to 21) and casualties included Hamas military commander Ahmed al-Jabari.
Some Palestinian Gazan parents have since commemorated the fighting with baby names like Ahmed Jabari and Fajd — from Fajr-5, an Iranian long-range rocket used by Hamas militants to target Israel.
According to one source, “many newborns are being named after Hamas commander Ahmed Jabari.” One of those newborns is the son of Adham Murtaja, who chose the name “to prove to Israel that the Jabari assassination did not mean that the Palestinian nation stopped producing heroes.”
The same source said Fajr — which means “dawn” in Arabic — is “rapidly gaining popularity among Palestinian parents.” Muhammad al-Shafi’i Abu Nassat named his son Fajr as a way to express his gratitude to Iran for supplying Gaza with rockets to fire at Israel, while Amira Abu Assus named her son Fajr because he will one day “carry the rockets whose names he bears so as to free Palestine from Israeli occupation.”
Sources: New baby names in Gaza: ‘Fajr’ and ‘Ahmed Jabari’, Pillar of Defense inspires baby names in Gaza