Palestinian children should not be an exception to international protection

20 November 2024
State of Palestine  
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates
Press Release 

On the occasion of World Children’s Day, observed annually on November 20, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the State of Palestine reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that Palestinian children are protected under international law. These children continue to endure unparalleled violations of their fundamental rights due to the policies and practices of the Israeli occupying forces and settler militias.

Over the past year, the Israeli  indiscriminate bombardments on Gaza have killed more than 43,000 Palestinians, including at least 17 thousand children, while thousands are critically injured, creating lifelong disabilities in direct and indiscriminate attacks as part of Israel’s genocide against Palestinians. At least 30,000 children have been orphaned, forced to endure unimaginable suffering, while countless others remain missing, buried beneath the rubble of destroyed neighborhoods.
These figures underscore the horrific reality of Israel's ongoing war against the Palestinian people, indiscriminately targeting all sectors of society, especially children, in blatant disregard for international Laws and United Nations resolutions.  
 The Ministry affirms that the ongoing Israeli genocidal war in the Gaza Strip has led to the forced displacement of 2 million Palestinians. Israel’s indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas—protected under international humanitarian law—have caused  extensive devastation to  homes, schools, universities, hospitals, places of worship, and the overall social and infrastructural fabric of Gaza.  
 
This atrocious reality also extends to Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, where Israel, the occupying power, has unlawfully killed more than 785 Palestinians including at least 167  children, since October 7,2023. Furthermore, Palestinian children in the West Bank are subjected to the same criminal policies, including arbitrary detention and prosecution before Israel's unlawful military courts, in flagrant violation of International Law, mainly  the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which guarantees special protection for children against arrest and torture. In Jerusalem, dozens of children​ are currently under house arrest due to intensified restrictions since October 2023. 
Other alarming development, the Israeli Knesset enacted a discriminatory law in November 2024, permitting the detention of Palestinian children under the age of 14, marking a dangerous escalation in the violation of children’s rights and further intensifies their suffering.
 
On the other hand, The Israeli Illegal ban on the activities of UNRWA in Gaza and East Jerusalem further undermines the fundamental rights of Palestinian refugees, particularly children. UNRWA serves as the main provider of education for over 660,000 children in the region, and the ban poses a grave threat to their access to education. Furthermore, UNRWA manages more than 130 healthcare facilities that deliver critical medical care to children. This ban will hinder access to essential healthcare services, further exacerbating the suffering of children already enduring severe humanitarian conditions.
 
In conclusion, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates calls on the international community to take urgent action to ensure Israel's adherence to all international conventions and treaties, particularly the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Ministry also emphasizes the need for an immediate cessation of the Israeli war crime in Gaza, the unhindered flow of humanitarian aid, and the initiation of relief and reconstruction efforts. It further stresses the importance of implementing the United Nations General Assembly resolution demanding the end of Israel's unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory, thus the Ministry urges states to impose a comprehensive arms embargo on Israel and adopt decisive diplomatic and economic sanctions to halt its ongoing violations of Palestinian rights.