Children in Gaza held a vigil on Thursday demanding that the international community pressure Israeli authorities to release Palestinian minors in Israeli prisons, Anadolu News Agency reports.
“We demand the intervention of the international community and human rights organizations to release children detained in Israeli jails,” Farah Salim, 11, said at the vigil, held by the General Authority for Youth and Culture (government) ahead of World’s Children Day on November 20.
Children hold vigil in Gaza to demand release of peers in Israeli jails https://t.co/XB6LDOyjL5 pic.twitter.com/G8MY3AxJWH
— ANADOLU AGENCY (@anadoluagency) November 18, 2021
Farah, who lost her right leg during the last Israeli offensive on Gaza in May, said dozens of Palestinian children in Israeli prisons are deprived of their basic rights, including visits.
She added that 66 children were killed in Gaza by Israeli warplanes in May along with 1,948 children and women who were injured.
Ill-treatment in the Israeli military detention system remains “widespread, systematic, and institutionalised throughout the process” according to a UN Children’s Fund report.
Protect Palestinian child prisoners – Take action NOW⬇️https://t.co/o1p4QG4MCQ pic.twitter.com/1IYOZKDx7N
— PSC (@PSCupdates) November 9, 2021
Farah also stressed the necessity to stop Israeli violations to allow children free movement and allow parents to visit them in jail.
Palestinian NGOs that follow prisoners’ affairs said that, as of October, 4,650 Palestinians are detained in Israeli jails, including 34 females, 160 minors and 500 held under administrative detention policy without charges or trial.
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
