There were nine Palestinian children killed in 2 days by Israeli airstrikes, a total of 35 bodies in the latest Gaza Strip escalation, and many others injured.
“Violations against children must end: Nine children killed in latest Gaza Strip escalation, many injured.” This statement was made by Matthias Schmale, Director of UNRWA Operations in the Gaza Strip, and Lucia Elmi, UNICEF Special Representative in the State of Palestine. It is reported this happened within a span of two days by Israeli airstrikes days with a total of 35 bodies.
These attacks were reported by UNICEF detailing events on the East Jerusalem/Gaza Strip. They reported “Escalation in the Gaza Strip last night, following weeks of violence in Jerusalem, resulted in at least 20 people killed, which included nine Palestinian children confirmed. Four of the children were siblings, and many attended the same UNRWA school.
At least 25 children have been confirmed as injured, with many other injured children reported. The United Nations is currently verifying these reports. In southern Israel, at least one child in the city of Ashkelon was confirmed as injured. At least three schools have been reported as damaged, one in Israel and two in the Gaza Strip.
“Conflict has a profound and long-lasting impact on children, irrespective of where they live. A child is a child. This has been going on for much too long. All sides must prevent further escalation of violence, protect civilians, and end violations against children wherever they are and at all times.”
The silence of world leaders on attacks on children is stupefying. As the people reiterate, children are children, these are innocent civilians being attacked. Schools being targeted by Israeli forces is a horrifying event.
Last year, after American Joe Biden took over as president, the world watched silently while on May 16, 2021, Israel struck Palestine killing 153 people, including 42 children where Israeli warplanes conducted massive airstrikes at several locations in Gaza City. Blasts jolted Gaza early in the morning.
That Israeli airstrike bombed a high-rise building in Gaza City housing offices of several international media organizations and residential apartments. There were screams under the rubble, and a 1-year-old baby and a 3-year-old toddler were killed in the Israeli airstrike in Gaza City early on Sunday morning that day.
According to the BBC, An umbrella organisation representing armed factions in Gaza earlier warned that “if Israel increases its aggression, dark days await it”
Yitzhak Rabin was the first to propose the creation of a physical barricade between the Israeli and Palestinian populations in 1992, and by 1994, construction on the first barrier – Israel–Gaza barrier – had begun; it is actually a wire fence equipped with sensors. Following an attack on Bet Lid, near the city of Netanya, Rabin specified the objectives behind the undertaking, stating that: This path must lead to a separation, though not according to the borders prior to 1967. We want to reach a separation between us and them. We do not want the majority of the Jewish residents of the state of Israel, 98% of whom live within the borders of sovereign Israel, including a united Jerusalem, to be subject to terrorism.”
The History of the Gaza Strip
Together, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank make up the State of Palestine, while being under Israeli military occupation since 1967 and this has been the source of conflict.
In the early 16th century, Gaza was merged into the Ottoman Empire. During World War I, it fell to the British forces and became part of the British Mandate of Palestine. Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Egypt administered the newly formed Gaza Strip. It was captured by Israel in the Six-Day War in 1967. There are over 5 million Palestinians combined living in the two territories.
According to biblical accounts, Gaza fell to Israelite rule, from the reign of King David in the early 11th century BCE. When the United Monarchy split in about 930 BCE, Gaza became a part of the northern Kingdom of Israel. Since the capture of Isreal by the Romans in 70 AD, the Jews fled to other nations. The Jews slowly started returning back to Israel. On 14 May 1948, Isreal was recreated as a nation with the help of the United States mostly. David Ben-Gurion, the head of the Jewish Agency, proclaimed the establishment of the State of Israel. On that same date, the United States, under President Truman, recognized the provisional Jewish government as de facto authority of the Jewish state (de jure recognition was extended on January 31, 1949).
When they started claiming the Gaza Strip, this escalated to massive wars disturbing the peace, even over the world.