Bassem Abu Jari: Gaza children are facing a war of extermination and suffering from catastrophic living and health conditions, in addition to the paralysis of the educational process

Khaled Qazmar: The martyrdom of more than 20,000 children and the injury of more than 40,000 in Gaza after October 7 confirms the existence of genocide

Abdullah Al-Zaghari: Since October 7, the arrest of about 770 children from the West Bank has been monitored... and hundreds from Gaza have been subjected to enforced disappearance

Hilmi Al-Araj: The occupation authorities seek to terrorize children and keep them in a constant state of fear in order to kill their fighting spirit

Wissam Sahweil: The shocking and repeated scenes of killing, violence and destruction cause serious psychological disorders among Palestinian children

Dr. Samah Jaber: The children of Gaza are living a very dangerous and unbearable reality and are facing enormous trauma that will take years to recover from.

The targeting of Palestinian children, especially in the Gaza Strip, is being systematically and increasingly carried out by the Israeli occupation, amidst catastrophic humanitarian conditions resulting from the genocidal war that has come to threaten their existence and identity.

Officials and experts, in separate interviews with “I”, confirm that these crimes have been revealed in an unprecedented manner, with a significant increase in the number of martyrs and wounded among children, estimated at more than 20,000 martyrs and tens of thousands wounded, in addition to the destruction of health and educational facilities, which makes the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip more tragic, indicating that these practices shed light on systematic attempts to erase the identity of Palestinian children and threaten their future.

They point out that the description given by the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, of what is happening, saying: “Gaza has become a graveyard for children,” reflects the extent of the tragedy that children are experiencing there, which threatens their existence and psychological stability.

Genocide crimes are committed using all means

Bassem Younis Abu Jari, an academic researcher at the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights in Gaza, confirms that the Gaza Strip is witnessing an ongoing genocide committed by the Israeli occupation forces, targeting the civilian population, especially children, who constitute about 47% of the total population.

He explains that the crimes of genocide are carried out using all means that cause the utmost suffering, as children are killed and seriously injured, and they suffer from catastrophic living, health and educational conditions.

Abu Jarri confirms that the statistics on the killing of children since October 7, 2023 until now are shocking, in addition to deaths resulting from epidemics or hunger, which have been exacerbated by the lack of aid and food supplies. Thousands of children suffer from severe injuries that have caused permanent disabilities and deformities as a result of the use of lethal weapons and the indiscriminate bombing of civilian objects.

Abu Jari points out that children are facing unprecedented tragic conditions, as they are forced to stand in long lines to get water or at the doors of the takayas to get a little food, or suffer from the cold. In addition, children are subjected to detention in harsh conditions, including beatings and deprivation of food for long periods.

Researcher Abu Jari points out that the number of children who lost one or both parents due to the war is estimated at about 35,060 children, and these children live in an extremely dangerous environment, especially since most of the residents of the Strip have been displaced from their homes and are now living in tents that lack the most basic necessities of life.

Abu Jari explains that about 74% of the current tents have become unusable, with 100,000 tents out of 135,000 needing immediate replacement. Under these circumstances, the displaced people - including children - are suffering from a severe shortage of food and desalinated water, as well as lacking heating and winter clothing, at a time when the occupation authorities are preventing the import of clothing and consider it "non-essential needs."

Lack of health care and paralysis of the educational process

Abu Jari confirms that children in the Gaza Strip also suffer from a lack of health care due to the targeting of medical facilities and health personnel and the prevention of the entry of medicines. The educational process has also been completely paralyzed after schools and educational facilities were targeted, and have been transformed into shelters for the displaced.

Abu Jari explains that thousands of students and teachers were killed as a result of the Israeli bombing, while kindergartens, schools and universities were widely destroyed.

Abu Jarri stresses that depriving Palestinians of their right to education represents a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, noting that education is an important means of progress and development, and helps individuals and communities resist the occupation and escape the cycle of poverty and marginalization.

Abu Jari points out that the people of Gaza - including children - live in a state of insecurity, as there is no safe area in the Strip, as homes are bombed over the heads of their inhabitants, and schools and shelters affiliated with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) are targeted with missiles. He explains that these conditions make Gaza like a "cemetery for children", as about 43 children have been killed every day since the beginning of the war.

Abu Jari points out that children suffer from malnutrition as a result of the war of extermination in the Strip, in addition to diseases resulting from water pollution, including drinking water.

Abu Jarri stresses the need for the international community to move urgently and effectively to force Israel to stop the crimes of genocide and impose a ceasefire in Gaza, in implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions.

Abu Jari stresses the importance of prosecuting perpetrators of crimes against civilians and children and ending the state of impunity, calling for a halt to the supply of weapons and ammunition to Israel.

Abu Jari calls on UN agencies and international institutions to intensify their efforts to pressure the occupation authorities to stop the violations and ensure the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Abu Jari stresses that protecting the rights of Palestinian children, including their right to life, education and health, must be a top priority in the face of this humanitarian catastrophe.

Abu Jarri explains that this crisis requires immediate international action to save the children of Gaza from their tragic fate, which reflects the extent of the suffering experienced by the Gaza Strip due to the genocidal war it has been subjected to for nearly 14 months continuously.

Unprecedented escalation in targeting children's basic rights

Khaled Qazmar, Director General of the Defense for Children International - Palestine, confirms that the Israeli occupation’s targeting of Palestinian children is not new, but rather a systematic policy since the beginning of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. However, what happened after October 7, 2023 constituted an unprecedented escalation in targeting the basic rights of Palestinian children, especially their right to life, which was violated by large-scale mass killings.

According to Qazmar, the number of Palestinian children killed in the Gaza Strip after October 7 exceeded 20,000, some of whom are still under the rubble, while more than 40,000 were injured with varying degrees of severity. These numbers do not only reflect the number of victims, but also reveal a crime of genocide carried out by the occupation authorities against defenseless civilians, with a focus on children who constitute the future of the Palestinian people.

Qazmar stresses that the Israeli occupation, as a force established under international law, is obligated to provide and guarantee children’s basic rights, most importantly the right to life. However, the reality indicates the opposite, as policies of mass killing and systematic destruction are being practiced in the Gaza Strip.

Qazmar points out that the right to education represents a direct goal in the occupation’s policies. Since the beginning of the war of extermination, the Gaza Strip has lost the basic components of education, as more than 830 schools were destroyed according to statistics from the Ministry of Education, and most of the remaining schools were turned into centers to shelter civilians who lost their homes.

Qazmar points out that in addition to this, more than 12,000 school children were killed, and more than 600 teachers were martyred. This destruction has made the educational process almost impossible, as the priority now is to preserve the lives of children in light of the indiscriminate bombing and targeting of population centers.

Depriving children of education is a crime that aims to erase their memory

According to Qazmar, the West Bank witnessed the targeting of education in a different way, through attempts to obliterate the Palestinian identity by attempts to distort the Palestinian curriculum and impose curricula that are in line with the occupation’s narrative, or the disruption of schools due to incursions.

Qazmar stresses that depriving Palestinian children of their right to education is a crime that aims to erase the Palestinian child’s memory and cultural identity, which threatens his future and prevents him from forming his personality and national identity.

In addition to education, the health sector has been hit hard, making it almost impossible to provide medical care to children. Hospitals have been destroyed, medicines and medical equipment are no longer accessible due to the blockade, and injured children are not receiving treatment, leading to a daily increase in deaths, Qazmar explains.

Food and water were used as weapons of war against civilians.

Qazmar points out that the occupation used food and water as a weapon of war against civilians, especially children, and basic food and medical supplies were cut off, which forced thousands of children to face the risk of famine and displacement.

Although the severity of crimes in the West Bank is less than in Gaza, Qazmar confirms that the policy of targeting children continues. Since the beginning of this year, more than 88 Palestinian children have been killed in the West Bank.

Qazmar points out that these crimes would not have occurred without the international partnership with the Israeli occupation, which consists of providing political protection and military and financial support to the occupying state. Countries such as the United States, Britain and Germany continue to supply Israel with weapons, while providing political cover that prevents it from being held accountable in international forums.

Qazmar asserts that the statements of international officials, such as the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, who said that “Gaza has become a graveyard for children,” which intersect with previous statements by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, expose the shame of countries that claim human rights and protect international law, turning a blind eye to what is happening in the Gaza Strip because the criminal is the Israeli occupation.

Regarding the required efforts, Qazmar calls for activating the international accountability system, including the role of the International Criminal Court in prosecuting Israeli war criminals.

Qazmar confirms that the continued international silence and the complicity of some major countries with the crimes of the occupation is the main reason for the aggravation and continuation of these crimes.

Qazmar asserts that what is happening in Palestine today is a systematic targeting of Palestinian children with the aim of destroying their psychological, educational and health structures. These crimes do not only threaten the present, but also target the future of the entire Palestinian people, in an attempt to obliterate their identity and kill their spirit of resistance.

Qazmar stresses that the basic rights of Palestinian children, which include the right to life, education, health, and food, are not just slogans, but are rights guaranteed under international laws and conventions. However, these rights are violated daily in front of the eyes and ears of the international community, which stands helpless or complicit in the face of these crimes.

Qazmar believes that saving Palestinian children and ensuring their rights requires real international political will that puts an end to these crimes and restores to children their right to a dignified life and a secure future.

large-scale reprisals

The head of the Prisoners Club, Abdullah Al-Zaghari, confirms that the Israeli occupation has continued to systematically target Palestinian children since the beginning of its occupation of the Palestinian territories, but these policies have escalated in an unprecedented manner after October 7.

Al-Zaghari explains that this deliberate targeting of children is part of a large-scale revenge operation against the Palestinian people, where children’s childhood is stolen and their dreams are shattered, leaving devastating effects on their present and future.

Al-Zaghari points out that Palestinian children are living in a state of hysteria as a result of being directly targeted by the occupation, and are suffering from severe psychological effects.

Al-Zaghari asserts that the occupation seeks, through these policies of killing, arrest, and targeting education, to destroy the infrastructure of Palestinian society, in an attempt to kill the morale of the entire Palestinian people.

Mass arrests of children, torture, starvation... and enforced disappearance

Regarding the West Bank, Al-Zaghari explains that the targeting of children has increased significantly, as the period since October 7 has witnessed the arrest of about 770 children, 270 of whom are still languishing in the occupation’s prisons, where they have been subjected to all kinds of violations, including torture, starvation, deprivation of their basic rights, and continuous insults, in addition to the martyrdom of a large number of children in the West Bank.

Al-Zaghari points out that hundreds of children from the Gaza Strip were arrested and then subjected to a policy of enforced disappearance, where they were subjected to all kinds of violations. There are no accurate statistics about them, as there are other prisoners from Gaza who are subjected to a policy of systematic torture and enforced disappearance after October 7.

Al-Zaghari points out that many of these children who were arrested were subjected to medical crimes and systematic physical and psychological violations, as what is known as “scabies” spread among them. In Jerusalem, the occupation has imposed house arrest on dozens of Palestinian children since October 7, and an increase in the length of sentences imposed on children has been observed.

He stressed that the occupation's policies are not limited to arrest and physical assault, but extend to targeting the educational system of Palestinian children. Many children have been prevented from returning to their schools as a result of the siege and military operations, which is part of the occupation's strategy to keep Palestinian generations ignorant and destroy the educational infrastructure.

Al-Zaghari criticizes the international community’s inability to force the Israeli occupation to implement international agreements related to children’s rights, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Al-Zaghari explains that the international system, including the Security Council and the Human Rights Council, has failed to take decisive action to impose these obligations on the occupying state, which encourages it to continue committing its violations without any deterrent.

Al-Zaghari calls on the major international powers that dominate the Security Council and the Human Rights Council to urgently intervene to force the occupying state to abide by international laws and agreements related to children’s rights.

Al-Zaghari stresses that implementing these laws is an essential step to protect Palestinian children from ongoing violations and ensure their future free from fear and suffering.

Al-Zaghari explains that what is required is not only condemnation, but also taking actual steps to ensure that the occupation is held accountable for its crimes, and to stop the violations that affect Palestinian children on a daily basis, to ensure a safe childhood and a better future for these children who suffer under the yoke of the occupation.

Fascist ideology calling for the elimination of Palestinians

Hilmi Al-Araj, Director of the Center for Freedoms and Defense of Civil Rights (Hurriyat), confirms that targeting children by the Israeli occupation represents part of a systematic policy to terrorize this generation, and aims to kill children in the context of a genocide targeting the Palestinian people.

Al-Araj explains that the occupation is persisting in committing crimes against children to ensure that they do not grow up to become men who constitute an integral part of the Palestinian people and their resistance.

Al-Araj points out that these policies fall within a fascist Israeli ideology that calls for the elimination of Palestinians, including children, on the pretext that they are “potential fighters” in the future.

Al-Araj points out that this Israeli approach is not new, as this language has been used for many years, and is clearly evident in the statements of Israeli officials who consider even children a threat.

Al-Araj says: “These policies are not only related to the events of October 7, but they reflect an ideological program of this fascist government, which has announced its program known as the decisive program since assuming power. This program gives the Palestinian people three options: submission, departure, or death and imprisonment.”

Regarding Lazzarini's statements, who described Gaza as a "children's graveyard," Al-Araj asserts that this statement came because children and women constitute 70% of the total of more than 44,000 martyrs who were killed as a result of the ongoing Israeli aggression.

Al-Araj says: “What makes the situation even more tragic is that women in Gaza are being punished for giving birth to these children, as if the occupation is punishing mothers for giving birth to the next generation.”

Al-Araj explains that the goal of these policies is not limited to killing children only, but extends to trying to make them ignorant, displace them, and break their will.

Al-Araj says: “The occupation seeks to terrorize children and keep them in a constant state of fear, with the aim of killing their fighting spirit, but the Palestinian experience confirms that these crimes did not break the will of previous generations and will not break the current generation, but rather increase their determination to freedom.”

Al-Araj points out that the children of Gaza will ask themselves in the future why they were targeted with such brutality, and why their homes were bombed and their families killed by American planes in full view of the world.

Al-Araj says: “Despite these tragic circumstances, the Palestinian person by nature looks forward to hope and freedom, and the occupation’s attempts to subjugate him will not succeed,” calling on the international community to take urgent action to hold the Israeli occupation accountable for its crimes.

Al-Araj says: “Despite the issuance of international resolutions, such as the International Court of Justice’s resolution and the Security Council’s resolutions, the world’s silence in the face of this genocide is astonishing. What is required today is an international awakening that ends this silence and puts pressure on the occupation.”

Al-Araj stresses the importance of the role of international organizations, such as the United Nations and UNICEF, in holding the occupation accountable, stressing that the decision of the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants against Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Galant represents the beginning of the path towards achieving international justice and ensuring the provision of protection and rights for Palestinian children.

Depriving children of their most basic rights guaranteed by international laws

Director of the Research and Documentation Department at the Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture, Wissam Sahweil, confirms that Palestinian childhood is living through one of the most tragic and complex conditions in the world, in light of the Israeli occupation and its ongoing oppressive policies.

Sahweil explains that Palestinian children are deprived of their most basic rights guaranteed by international laws, such as the right to life, security, education and health care.

Sahweil points out that the Israeli occupation deliberately targets children directly, whether through aerial bombardment, live ammunition, or even bombs, which leads to the killing and wounding of thousands of them. These injuries often leave permanent physical and psychological effects on the children, deepening their suffering and limiting their ability to live a normal life.

Sahweil points out that what the Israeli occupation is doing is not limited to killing and wounding, but also includes demolishing homes and displacing families, which deprives children of a safe and stable environment.

Sahweil points out that the occupation arrests hundreds of children annually and throws them into prisons in harsh conditions, where they are subjected to physical and psychological abuse, in flagrant violation of international treaties that stipulate the protection of children’s rights.

Sahweil explains that the repeated and shocking scenes of killing and destruction lead to serious psychological disorders in Palestinian children, such as chronic fear, nightmares, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The loss of friends and family members due to violence also leaves deep wounds in their souls and increases their feelings of despair.

Regarding education, Sahweil explains that many schools are being bombed or closed, which prevents children from completing their studies.

Sahweil points out that Israeli measures such as security checkpoints make it difficult to access educational institutions, which increases the suffering of students.

Sahweil stresses that depriving children of education does not only affect individuals, but also extends to strike at the future of the entire Palestinian people, creating generations suffering from frustration and despair.

Sahweil stresses that targeting Palestinian children is not random, but rather part of a systematic Israeli policy aimed at weakening Palestinian society.

Sahweil explains that this policy creates a state of terror and fear among families, and weakens social ties, which leads to the destruction of the Palestinian social structure.

Sahweil stresses that targeting children represents a serious violation of international law, pointing out that the international community bears a great responsibility to protect these children and guarantee their rights.

Sahweil points out that the absence of effective international accountability encourages the occupation to continue its violations, calling for documenting these crimes and building legal files to prosecute perpetrators of war crimes.

Sahweil expressed his concern about the impact of these violations on the formation of Palestinian children’s personalities, explaining that the affected generations may suffer from mental and social disorders that prevent them from being able to build a stable future.

Sahweil stresses that the continuation of crimes against children threatens the Palestinian national ambition, pointing to the need to resume the educational process urgently and to enhance efforts to hold the occupation accountable.

Sahweil points out that crimes against Palestinian children are not subject to a statute of limitations, citing the prosecution of perpetrators of crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina as an example of the possibility of achieving justice.

Sahweil calls on the international community to take concrete steps to stop Israeli violations against Palestinian children and ensure a safe future for them.

Losses in mental and physical health

Dr. Samah Jabr, head of the mental health unit at the Ministry of Health, describes the reality of childhood in Gaza as “very dangerous,” noting that children there are facing enormous trauma as a result of the ongoing Israeli aggression, and need years to recover.

Jabr explains that the interruption of education, in addition to the losses in mental and physical health, is one of the biggest challenges.

“The loss of education is not limited to the decline in children’s cognitive abilities, but also includes the absence of the social and psychological framework that nurtures their natural development,” says Jabr.

Jabr stresses that the extent of the trauma that children in Gaza have been exposed to requires many years to recover from, as these losses deepen the children’s tragedy and make them live in an environment that is not suitable for their natural growth.

Jabr addresses the phenomenon of “role reversal,” where children bear the burdens of adults, whether by taking care of their younger siblings, or doing tasks beyond their capacity, such as carrying water or caring for their injured parents, which deprives them of living their childhood and negatively affects their psychological and social development.

Dr. Jabr asserts that targeting children in Gaza represents a direct targeting of the future of Palestine, saying: “Children are the future of Palestine, and those who seek to exterminate the Palestinian people want to end the existence of healthy Palestinians in the future.”

Jabr asserts that describing Gaza as a “children’s graveyard” is an accurate description, after more than 20,000 children were martyred, in addition to the large numbers of children who were left without direct adult care, due to the loss of their fathers or guardians.

Jabr stresses that the suffering is not only in the number of martyrs, but also extends to the deteriorating quality of life of the surviving children, who live in constant fear and daily terror that makes their lives closer to death.

She says: “Gaza is no longer just a big prison as we described it before, but today it has become a big cemetery in which childhood and the future are buried.”

Serious consequences of destroying educational institutions in Gaza

Dr. Jabr spoke about the serious consequences of the destruction of educational institutions in Gaza, considering that the current loss of education exceeds what happened during the Covid-19 pandemic, where education was affected globally but only partially, while in Gaza, the loss of education means the complete destruction of schools and the shattering of hopes for education for years to come.

Jabr expressed her surprise at the “global silence” over this destruction, which contradicts international positions supporting the right to education.

Jabr stressed that addressing this catastrophic situation requires urgent political efforts to stop the Israeli aggression, killing and displacement, noting that urgent humanitarian relief has become an urgent necessity to meet the basic needs of the Palestinians.

“We are talking about a tragic situation of starvation and lack of basic necessities, which is unbearable and must stop immediately,” says Jabr.