Children hold vigil in Gaza to demand release of peers in Israeli jails

Palestinian children in Gaza demanded, Thursday, that the international community pressure Israeli authorities to release their peers in Israeli jails 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 a vigil held by the General Authority for Youth and Culture (government) ahead of World’s Children Day on 20 November.

Farah, who lost her right leg during the last Israeli offensive on Gaza in May, said dozens of Palestinian children in Israeli jails are deprived of their basic rights, including visits.

She said 66 children were killed in Gaza by Israeli warplanes in May along with 1,948 children and women who were injured.

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.

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The targeting and arrest of Palestinian children has been a constant Israeli policy – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]