On April 5th
of every year, Palestinians commemorate Palestinian Child Day. However, in
2025, this day comes under catastrophic circumstances for the children of the
Gaza Strip due to the ongoing Israeli aggression since October 7, 2023, which
has created an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in terms of destruction and
civilian casualties—foremost among them, children. According to official
reports from the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Health in
Gaza:
- More than
13,000 children have been killed since the start of the Israeli aggression in
October 2023 through early April 2025.
-
Approximately 39,000 children are now orphans, having lost one or both parents.
- More than
75,000 children have sustained direct injuries, some resulting in permanent
disabilities.
- Over
17,000 children are suffering from severe psychological disorders due to
repeated trauma and the deprivation of their most basic childhood rights.
- 80% of
schools in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed, depriving hundreds of thousands
of children of education.
- There is a
severe lack of healthcare and nutrition, with widespread malnutrition and
shortages of essential medicines.
What the
children in the Gaza Strip are enduring constitutes a blatant violation of
international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and in many
cases, qualifies as war crimes and crimes against humanity, based on the
following:
1. The
Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), which guarantees the child's
right to life, survival, development, education, healthcare, and protection
from violence and armed conflict.
2. The
Fourth Geneva Convention (1949), which protects civilians during times of war
and mandates special protection and assistance for children.
3. The Rome
Statute of the International Criminal Court, which classifies the targeting of
civilians, especially children, as war crimes.
Based on the
above, the Palestinian Association forHuman Rights (Witness) calls for:
1. The
United Nations and the Human Rights Council to urgently open investigations
into the violations against children in Gaza and refer those responsible to
international justice.
2. UNICEF
and relevant international organizations to intensify efforts to provide relief
and psychosocial support to affected children.
3. The
International Criminal Court to expedite the issuance of arrest warrants
against the leaders of the occupation responsible for targeting children and to
pursue those already under investigation.
4. The
international community to pressure the occupying state to comply with its
obligations under international law and to immediately cease its aggression.
5. Donor
countries to fund programs for the rehabilitation of children and to provide
them with essential education, healthcare, and psychological support.
The
Palestinian Association for Human Rights(Witness)
Beirut,
April 5, 2025