Mustafa Ibrahim: All the brutal crimes, genocide, and plans to displace Palestinians are taking place with American and European approval and blessing.
Adel Shehadeh: Israel, in its intellectual and ideological structure, views the killing of Palestinian children as a duty, given that they are part of the "enemy system"!
Kazem Abu Khalaf: The number of children killed in Gaza exceeds those killed in any other conflict in the world, and 41,000 of them have become orphans.
Dr. Ibrahim Abu Jaber: Extremist thought derives its roots from their religious references, specifically the Talmud, which gives Jews the right to kill, steal, violate honor, and destroy.
Amjad Al-Shawa: Pressuring the occupation is a moral and legal responsibility to save Palestinian children so that the Gaza scene is not repeated in the West Bank.
The premeditated killings committed by the Israeli occupation state in the Gaza Strip, targeting children and their mothers, are unprecedented in their brutality and the weapons used. They represent the highest number of civilian casualties in the history of warfare, both in terms of time and geographical area, which witnessed the daily, open massacre for more than nine months.
The killings were not limited to American weapons of various types and weights, including those intended for destroying fortresses. They also included a policy of tight siege, starvation and thirst, and deprivation of the most basic necessities of life. In addition, there was the ongoing displacement and migration since the beginning of the war of extermination, as well as the diseases that ravaged the young and old in the Gaza Strip.
None of this would have happened without the silence and failure of the international community and the complicity of powerful countries, primarily the United States and the colonial Western powers, with the occupying state in its barbaric war. This is the most hideous embodiment of double standards in dealing with people based on their color and country of origin, which has contributed to the continuation of the catastrophe and tragedy that children, women, and men have been living in the Gaza Strip for nearly two years.
Writers, analysts, and specialists who spoke to Al-Quds confirmed that all the brutal crimes, genocide, and plans to displace Palestinians are being carried out with American and European approval and blessing. They pointed out that the number of children killed in Gaza exceeds those killed in any other conflict in the world, and that 41,000 of them have been orphaned.
They explained that Israel, in its intellectual and ideological structure, views the killing of Palestinian children as a duty, given that they are part of the "enemy system." They noted that the extremist ideology derives its roots from their religious sources, specifically the Talmud, which grants Jews the right to kill, steal, violate honor, and destroy.
They said that pressuring the occupation is a moral and legal responsibility to save Palestinian children so that the Gaza situation does not repeat itself in the West Bank.
The occupation targets all segments of the Palestinian people.
Writer Mustafa Ibrahim said that Israel's old-new policy, which has extended from the Nakba to the present day, targets all segments of the Palestinian people: women, children, men, and the elderly. All of this falls within the framework of a process of "burning out consciousness" and killing the new generation.
He added: Since the beginning of the war, statements have been issued by Israeli war leaders, and the Israeli media has also covered the matter, indicating that young people who grew up since the Al-Aqsa Intifada and were raised under the occupation are the ones carrying out or have carried out operations against the Israeli army, and that some of them participated in the events of October 7.
Ibrahim emphasized that this mentality stems from the Israeli security doctrine, particularly its view of Palestinians, and particularly children. The famous Israeli saying during the occupation of Palestine in 1948 was: "The old die, and the young forget." However, the exact opposite happened, generation after generation. Children grew up and continued to resist the occupation.
He continued: "We witnessed the outbreak of the Palestinian revolution in 1965, and the resistance movements that preceded it, all the way to the systematic killings we are experiencing today, carried out by the occupation forces everywhere."
The case of the child Ahmed Manasra
Ibrahim explained that this approach has always been practiced by the Israeli occupation, even during limited uprisings, such as the "knife intifada" or other forms of popular resistance, where the Israeli response was to kill or arrest. We saw what happened to the child Ahmed Manasra, his arrest, and his suffering in prison for nearly ten years. And the massacres continue, killing children and destroying their futures.
The writer, Ibrahim, pointed out that this ongoing pain stems from a colonial security mentality, and that the world, which watches silently, is complicit in these massacres, especially the United States and central European countries. Despite some statements issued by some European leaders, they are powerless, and they could have done more.
He recalled what French President Emmanuel Macron said in recent days, when he indicated that Israel is committing massacres and starvation against the Palestinians. Yet, Europe, despite this, remains a partner, whether through military support or by supplying Israel with spare parts for aircraft, bombs, and missiles. This also includes political and diplomatic support, under the pretext that Israel is defending its "right to exist."
Ibrahim believes that such statements, issued by Macron and others, are not worth the ink they are written with, as they do not translate into real action. He pointed out that there are existing economic and security partnerships with Israel, and none of the major European countries, such as Germany, France, or Britain, have taken any sanctions against the occupation.
Netanyahu receives immunity despite arrest warrant
He said: "Even when arrest warrants were issued against Netanyahu by the International Criminal Court, countries like France declared that certain world leaders enjoy immunity and affirmed that they would grant Netanyahu this immunity. Netanyahu was also welcomed in countries like Hungary, despite the ongoing massacres."
He stressed that all the statements and appeals we hear from European leaders do not change the fact that they remain complicit in the massacre, and that they are the ones who allowed Israel to violate international law and international humanitarian law.
He added: "After World War II, the nations of the world cooperated to establish an international legal system that would preserve peace and cooperation among peoples. However, Israel, with the support of the United States and Europe, did not abide by the decisions of the International Court of Justice, which ordered an end to the policy of starvation and affirmed that the Israeli occupation is illegal and illegitimate. Despite all the calls to stop the war, the occupying state continues to enjoy broad international political support."
Writer Ibrahim said: "Recently, statements have been issued, such as the Quartet Statement, but they are of no real value as long as the signatory states maintain their political, security, and economic relations with Israel and do not take any real steps, such as freezing agreements or suspending cooperation."
He stressed that the United States' position had been clear from the beginning, as it was the main supporter and primary partner in the ongoing war of extermination.
He explained that the US President's visit to the region yielded nothing but his silence and statements regarding the provision of humanitarian aid, while the Gaza Strip, after more than seventy days, remains under siege, with not even a piece of bread allowed into it.
Ibrahim emphasized that all the brutal crimes, genocide, and plans to displace Palestinians are being carried out with American and European approval and blessing.
An indicator of the criminal nature of the occupation structure
For his part, Israeli affairs expert Adel Shadid said that the execution of Palestinian children in the West Bank and Gaza Strip by various occupation forces is the most significant indicator of the criminal nature of the occupation's structure.
He added, "This structure pays no attention or attention to international law, nor to international conventions and agreements that require the protection of children, whether in times of war or peace."
He explained, "The matter is clear, politically and legally. Without the political and legal cover that the United States provides to Israel, the latter would not have dared to commit these crimes."
However, he added, "However, it cannot be said that the sole motive behind the killings is American support. American protection of Israel in political, judicial, and international institutions is not the only factor, and this argument is inaccurate."
Shadid emphasized that "Israel, in its intellectual and ideological structure, whether political or religious, views the killing of children as a political and military duty, as it considers these children part of the enemy's system. The more they are eliminated, the more pain, suffering, and despair their families feel, which may push them to surrender, raise the white flag, or even emigrate from this country—which is what Israel and the Zionist movement seek."
Killing any Palestinian child is a strategic gain in their view.
He added, "From a demographic perspective, every Palestinian killed is a demographic gain for Israel, which works day and night to tip the demographic balance in favor of the Israelis. Therefore, the killing of any Palestinian child is a strategic gain in their view."
He continued: "If we add to this the religious and ideological dimension, we find fatwas issued by rabbis, such as Rabbi Dov Lior, one of the theorists of the "Jewish Power" group led by Itamar Ben-Gvir, and muftis from the Yitzhar settlement, who consider Palestinian children to be enemies and future murderers, as they describe them. From this perspective, they see the killing of these children as a religious duty."
He pointed to "the celebration in which Minister Ben-Gvir participated in the killing of the child Ahmed Dawabsheh and his family," saying, "That night, it was clear that there was not only a religious fatwa, but also a state of bragging about the killing of Palestinian children."
Regarding the international position, Shadid said, "There are three main parties: The first is the United States, which condemns the situation in the media and outwardly, but in reality, it is the protector, defender, and political cover for Israel.
As for the European side, there is no doubt that it does not accept the killing of children, but its view of the Palestinian, Arab, or Muslim child is not the same as its view of the American, European, or Western child.
As for the Arab position, it is clear: the current Arab regimes place no value on human beings, especially Arabs, and they do not care about what is happening in Palestine.
873 children killed and 2,388 injured since March 18
For his part, UNICEF spokesperson Kazem Abu Khalaf said that no one knows the reason behind these astonishing figures regarding the number of children killed.
He added: Today is the 589th day of the war, the 77th day of the aid embargo, and the 61st day of the resumption of the bombing that began on March 18.
He confirmed that since that date until today, the number of children killed alone has reached 873. According to some reports, the number of children injured during the same period has reached 2,388.
He added: If we add up the number of dead and wounded reported in various reports and divide it by the number of days of war, the daily average number of children killed and wounded since October 7, 2023, is approximately 90 children per day.
If we limit ourselves to deaths alone, the daily rate of child casualties is estimated at 27.9, according to some statistics. In the past two months alone, 950 children have been killed.
60 children died from malnutrition and 17 from cold weather.
He described these figures as "extremely frightening," adding that approximately 60 children died from malnutrition, 17 others from the cold, and lower estimates indicate that more than 41,000 children have been orphaned.
He asked, "No one knows how the so-called indiscriminate bombing that does not distinguish between civilians and non-civilians can be justified, but the numbers speak for themselves."
He continued: "As for malnutrition, it naturally affects children first, and there are reports issued by the stages of integrated food security, one of which was published in May, indicating that 470,000 residents of Gaza are expected to face catastrophic hunger."
He explained, "This is classified as Phase 5, the most critical on the food security scale, and covers the period from May to September. These estimates represent a 250% increase compared to the previous report."
He added, "The report itself confirms that all residents of the Gaza Strip suffer from high levels of food insecurity, and it is estimated that between 60,000 and 70,000 children need immediate treatment for severe malnutrition."
He said: "What is happening in Gaza is very unfortunate and constitutes a test of human conscience.
Every child in the Gaza Strip, without exception, needs psychological support.
Abu Khalaf stressed that the number of children killed in Gaza exceeds the number of children killed in any other conflict in the world during a specific time and geographic period.
"These children are paying the price for a war they did not start and cannot end," he said.
He continued: "Because of what the children of Gaza have experienced, every child in the Strip, without exception, needs psychological support. We don't know, even if the fighting stops and resources are allowed in, whether it will be possible to provide comprehensive psychological treatment. This type of treatment takes a very long time and will certainly not be a complete cure, but it is certainly better than nothing."
He stressed that "children pay the heaviest price in any conflict, especially in Gaza. They have lost two years of school, and 41,000 of them have been orphaned, either by their father or mother."
Abu Khalaf concluded by saying, "Diseases are spreading among them, and thousands of children have lost one or more limbs. The price children have paid in this war far exceeds any other price paid in the war."
An attempt to eliminate the Palestinian race
For his part, Dr. Ibrahim Abu Jaber, an expert on Israeli affairs, said: "So far, in this brutal, aggressive war raging in the Gaza Strip, more than 18,000 Palestinian children and more than 12,000 women have been killed, in addition to the large number of victims in the West Bank.
He added: "The reason for focusing on these groups is an attempt to eliminate the Palestinian generation. They realize that the child will grow up, and as the saying goes, 'Blood does not turn to water.'"
These children will grow up to be a real source of headaches for Israelis, because they saw with their own eyes what happened to their families, relatives, and people.
Abu Jaber pointed out that this extremist ideology derives its roots from the Torah and Jewish religious books, specifically the Talmud, which grants Jews the right to kill, steal, violate honor, and destroy. What is happening today is part of the extremist Jewish doctrine and is considered by them to be "a way of getting closer to God."
Regarding the international community's position, he said: "This is a settled issue. The international community is hypocritical by nature. It is the one that established the Israeli entity through the United Nations General Assembly, and it stands by this entity, despite some media statements that it sometimes issues.
The influence of the Zionist lobby on Western public opinion
The influence of the Zionist lobby and its dominance over Western and global public opinion have a profound impact on shaping Western policies, particularly in the United States and the European Union.
He said: "They view the Jews as perpetual victims, and they believe that they have the right to establish a state and defend it as they wish, because they are surrounded by a 'sea of Arabs,' as they say.
He continued: As for international law, it was primarily designed to serve colonial states, including, of course, the Israeli entity.
Abu Jaber emphasized that, given this situation, the United Nations should be dissolved and replaced by a new international entity, provided that its headquarters are not in any of the major powers, but rather in a Third World country, whether in Asia, Africa, or even Latin America.
He said, "The presence of the United Nations within the United States of America has enabled the latter to control it, especially given that more than two-thirds of its budget is funded by the American treasury.
He added: "What is currently required of Arab and Islamic countries, and countries that stand in solidarity with the Palestinian cause, is to withdraw from the United Nations, completely paralyze its work, and leave it to the major powers that control it, foremost among them the United States of America."
Establishing Israel as a state above the law
He believes that matters are moving in the direction of entrenching the notion that the Israeli entity is above the law, and there is abundant evidence of this. From 1948 to the present day, the United States has used its veto more than 40 times in favor of Israel.
He added: "As for the decisions of international judicial bodies, such as the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice in The Hague, they are nothing more than 'ink on paper' due to American pressure."
Abu Jaber pointed out that the Israeli establishment is growing stronger by the day and expanding in the region. We note that some neighboring countries, which have not yet normalized relations with Israel, have gradually begun to enter the path of normalization. I mean Syria, specifically what is known as the "New Syria" led by Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Abu Jaber concluded by saying, "We see complete Arab inability and complete strategic bankruptcy in confronting the systematic killing of children and women, and the destruction of humanity and property. Even if the Palestinians are displaced, I don't expect there to be any real responses commensurate with the magnitude of the responsibility."
An approach that has been going on for decades
Amjad Shawa, Director General of the Palestinian NGO Network, emphasized that the Israeli occupation's targeting of children is not a product of the current war, but rather a decades-long practice of systematically targeting Palestinian children.
He added: "Everyone remembers the scenes of the first intifada, when children's limbs were broken by stones, and the deepening crisis we witnessed at the time and the deprivation of children of their most basic rights.
Even in the most basic rights, such as medical treatment, the occupation often delays and prevents the provision of health care to them, and imposes harsh conditions that affect their development in an environment filled with fear and intimidation.
Al-Shawa continued: "Just as we have previously witnessed attacks by settlers that reached the point of burning children, what we are seeing in this war is an unprecedented escalation in the intensity of the direct targeting of children and their families."
He pointed out that the majority of the martyrs were children, with the number of martyrs reaching approximately 19,000, most of them children. He also noted that the majority of the wounded were also children, who bear the most direct brunt of the war's consequences, including malnutrition, thirst, and disease.
Severe trauma and deprivation of psychological care
Al-Shawa said, "Children also face deprivation of psychological care and suffer severe trauma, in addition to the loss of one or both parents, which has left a large number of orphans and missing persons living in an atmosphere of terror and fear amidst this war. Children are also deprived of education and healthcare, and thousands have had their limbs amputated as a result of the bombing, amid clear systematic targeting."
Al-Shawa expressed his regret that the situation had seriously deteriorated, with children becoming the most vulnerable to hunger, severe malnutrition, and thirst, in addition to being deprived of essential vaccinations.
He said: "Children are trapped in the midst of an environmental and health disaster. Thousands of sick children suffer from diseases such as cancer, kidney disease, heart disease, and other illnesses, without access to treatment. Epidemics are spreading among tens of thousands of them, in the absence of meaningful medical intervention."
He believes that children are also bearing this suffering as the killing continues, while the international community has remained silent since the beginning of the war until today regarding the massacres committed against Palestinian children, women, and families.
Al-Shawa said: "Even fetuses have not been spared from targeting, given the deteriorating conditions caused by displacement. Children are suffering the agonies of life in tents and shelters, which have also become targets of Israeli bombing.
He pointed out that since the beginning of the aggression, the international position has been divided into two camps: one supporting the occupation, and the other remaining silent. In both cases, the occupation has continued to commit its crimes without deterrence.
International voices, but below the required level
Al-Shawa added: "We have witnessed confusion in positions, but as famine and malnutrition worsen, we have begun to hear some voices from international figures and bodies. However, they remain below the required standard and do not rise to the level of a truly global position that requires respect for international law and humanitarian law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention, which deals with the protection of children in conflict."
He recalled a significant UN report that described the Israeli occupation as a "child killer." Despite the abundance of such reports, we have yet to see a genuine and collective international will to condemn the occupation, hold it accountable, or even pressure it to take concrete steps to halt its aggression, especially against children.
He believes that the children of the Gaza Strip are experiencing the most difficult and harshest moments of any humanitarian disaster, and that this will have serious repercussions and consequences in the future if the siege, famine, and daily killings continue.
International parties bear their responsibilities towards children.
He called on all international parties to assume their responsibilities towards this painful humanitarian reality and towards the children who have been deprived of everything and whose conditions have deteriorated to an unprecedented degree.
He said that pressuring the Israeli occupation is a moral and legal responsibility to save Palestinian children, to prevent a repeat of the Gaza tragedy in the West Bank, and to ensure justice for these children by achieving justice and holding the occupation accountable for the crimes committed against them.
He added that the world must not continue to turn a deaf ear to the daily cries of children, whether during bombing or as a result of hunger and disease. No matter how hard the occupation tries to cover up its crimes, the day will come when it will be held accountable. The international community must not be complicit in this crime by remaining silent, but rather commit to implementing the principles of international and humanitarian law.
Al-Shawa concluded by saying: "We are today in an unprecedented phase in world history, the most prominent of which is 'double standards' and a blatant international silence in the face of crimes unprecedented in history."
