John —
At least 140 Palestinian children in Gaza have been killed by Israeli airstrikes since Saturday, October 7. Our team has been able to document the killings of 74 Palestinian children in Gaza so far, and the death toll is sure to rise rapidly as the Israeli military intensifies attacks in Gaza.
Among the dead are 10-year-old Yazan Ahmad Abdulnaser Shamlakh, pictured below, and his baby brothers, two-year-old Abdulnaser and five-month-old Omar. The Israeli airstrike that killed them completely destroyed the building it struck, which included four apartments housing three families.
Read DCIP’s documentation on the fourth day of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza »
In the northern part of the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces have repeatedly targeted Jabalia refugee camp, one of the most densely populated communities in the Gaza Strip. Three successive Israeli missiles struck a residential building in a crowded shopping area yesterday, killing at least 69 Palestinians, including 15 children.
Nowhere and nobody is safe in Gaza right now. And instead of deescalating hostilities to rein in civilian harm, world leaders are actively bolstering the Israeli war machine through increased military funding and weapons, despite Israeli officials openly declaring their intention to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Israel has cut off Palestinians in Gaza from electricity, water, fuel, and more. Israeli forces have bombed telecommunications infrastructure, and we fear that soon Palestinians in Gaza will be completely sealed off from the outside world, unable to communicate.
Thank you for your solidarity with Palestinian children. If you are taking action in your community, let us know.
In solidarity,
Brad Parker
Senior Adviser, Policy & Advocacy
Defense for Children International – Palestine
