Israeli military attacks in the Palestinian occupied territories have overwhelmingly impacted Palestinian children, according to a report released Sunday by the Risalat Al Hoqouq Center for Human Rights.
Several human rights organizations in Palestine reported that most of the Palestinian children who were killed by the army died during aerial strikes in residential areas, and when the army carried out 'assassinations' against Palestinian fighters by dropping missiles in residential areas.
During the last month of 2005, several Israeli officials claimed that most of the Palestinian children who were killed by the army died when soldiers felt that their lives were threatened by the children.
Yet the huge number of children killed and injured during Israeli air strikes voids these allegations, says Risalat al Hoqouq. The documented Israeli violations of United Nations Resolutions and international human rights agreements point to a pattern of behavior by the Israeli military that makes children primary targets and victims of Israeli military operations.
A large number of children were killed at home, or close to their homes, in addition to many children who were killed at school or while walking to or from school.
The Risalat Al Hoqouq Report called on the international community to pressure Israel to respect its obligations under international law to protect occupied civilian populations, and to implement the Fourth Geneva Conventions regarding the protection of children in conflict zones.
The center said that the Israeli army has continuously violated the rights of Palestinian residents by its illegal occupation of Palestinian land, and children have paid the heaviest price of this occupation, adding that Israel never respected the approximately 150 United Nations Resolutions that have condemned the illegal occupation, or any treaties regarding human rights in the occupied territories, and continues to illegally occupy the Palestinian territories, and target children in their daily military practices.
At least six Palestinian children have been injured by Israeli military attacks during the past week alone.
