- Human RightsPalestine
- May 17, 2009
- 5 minutes read
UNICEF: IOA humiliates, neglects Palestinian children
The United Nation Children”s Fund (UNICEF) organization has accused Friday the Israeli occupation authority of deliberately humiliating and neglecting the Palestinian children.
In its monthly report that was released on Friday, the UNICEF pointed out that both the Defense for Children International (DCI) – Palestine section, and the Swedish Save the Child Society (SCS) called for giving special attention for Palestinian children in the occupied city of Jerusalem.
The report also disclosed that at least three Palestinian children were wounded when an Israeli occupation army ordnance exploded next to them in northern Gaza Strip a couple of weeks ago, adding that the unexploded weapons left by the Israeli occupation forces in Gaza Strip killed five Palestinian children since the ceasefire took effect in the Strip last January.
Moreover, the report revealed a sharp increase of 19% in the number of Palestinian minors who were kidnapped by the IOF troops in the aftermath of the Israeli military invasion of Gaza Strip.
The report also quoted the DCI-Palestine section as confirming that around 391 Palestinian children, including six females, were detained by the IOA as of April 30 this year, and that 79 Palestinian children were turned homeless after the IOA demolished at least 20 Palestinian buildings during the month of April only.
In Gaza Strip, the UNICEF asserted that around 150,000 Palestinian individuals (10% of the total population in the tiny Strip), including 84,000 children were living in the dark, while 90% of the people suffer frequent electricity blackout due to the Israeli blockade on the Strip.
As far as access to potable water is concerned, the UNICEF pointed out that 17,900 Palestinian children couldn’t get enough potable water, while 56,000 Palestinian children receive drinkable water once every two days, and sometimes once every three days.
The UNICEF attributed the sharp shortage in potable water in the coastal Strip to the unjust three-year-old Israeli hermitic blockade on the Strip that led to severe shortage in fuel, and in the spare parts that are badly needed for waste water treatment equipments.
However, more disturbing information were revealed by the PA education ministry, confirming that at least 164 Palestinian male and female students in addition to 12 instructors and instructresses were killed with IOF bullets during the Israeli war on
Furthermore, the ministry underlined that at least seven schools in Gaza Strip (six of them in the north) were totally destroyed, and that157 other schools were partially destroyed by the r persistent IOF air, sea, and land shelling of the schools across the populated Strip.