On World Children’s Day, Palestinian children are victims of seven decades of systematic Zionist terrorism
GAZA, Nov. 20 (YPA) – The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said on Thursday that Palestinian children have been victims of seven decades of systematic Zionist terrorism, demanding prosecution of the occupation leaders and protection for children in Palestine .
On November 20, the UN observes World Children’s Day while Palestinian children live a tragic reality due to crimes committed by the Zionist occupation, which has destroyed life’s essentials – food, medicine, and clean water, as well as health, educational, and psychological care – in violation of international conventions and human values, and in disregard of UN resolutions guaranteeing Palestinian children’s rights, Hamas said in a statement.
“This year’s observance comes as the two-year genocide and starvation war on Gaza has left over 20,000 children killed, thousands still missing under rubble, alongside more than 30,000 children who lost at least one parent, and thousands of wounded and sick children requiring urgent medical treatment abroad,” the statement read.
It added, “In the occupied West Bank and the 1948-occupied territories, Palestinian children’s suffering continues through deliberate killing, ethnic cleansing, home demolitions, road and school closures, displacement attempts, deprivation of education, targeting of Palestinian identity, and the incitement for crime within our society, all of which resulted in the killing of over 300 children in the West Bank during the past two years.”
Hamas called for Seizing this occasion to expose the occupation’s crimes against Palestinian children, put the international community in front of its responsibility to protect them, and ensure their right to dignified living conditions including education, food, and medicine like other children worldwide.
The movement also urged that the occupation’s crimes against children be recognized as crimes against humanity that do not expire, stressing the need to prosecute occupation leaders and settlers as war criminals before the International Criminal Court.
It further called for listing the Zionist entity in the “List of Shame” for violators of children’s rights and compelling it to cease its crimes, as its continued impunity encourages further violations.
Hamas urged humanitarian and rights groups to shoulder their responsibilities in exposing the occupation’s crimes and protecting Palestinian children’s right to live in dignity and safety on their land.
The Movement concluded its statement by “affirming that targeting children constitutes part of the occupation’s policies aimed at breaking our people’s will, and that Palestine’s children in Gaza, the West Bank, Jerusalem, and the 1948-occupied territories will remain symbols of resilience and steadfastness until the criminal occupation ends.”
@E.Y.M