Is Israel killing children in Gaza ?

Unfortunately, Yes. A lot of Palestinian children got murdered in the continuous Israeli aggressions on Gaza, especially in the 2014 Israeli assault there, where the latest statistic by the UN shows 551 children were murdered by the Israeli assault.
On August 24, 2014 nearly half a million Palestinian children in Gaza who were scheduled to start a new school year were unable to do so because of Israel's military assault on the occupied and besieged coastal strip, "Operation Protective Edge," which began on July 8, 2014, killed more than 2100 people, including at least 1462 civilians.

CHILDREN KILLED & INJURED in the 2014 ISRAELI ASSAULT:

  • According to the United Nations, between July 7 and August 25, 2014 the Israeli military killed at least 495 Palestinian children in Gaza during “Operation Protective Edge.” The Al Mezan Center for Human Rights puts the number at 518, while the Palestinian Center for Human rights puts it at 519 at that specific short period. All three figures exceed the number of Palestinian children killed in the last two major Israeli assaults on Gaza combined, approximately 350 during “Operation Cast Lead” in 2008-9 and 35 in November 2012. The number of children killed also exceeds the total number of Israelis, civilians and soldiers, killed by Palestinians in the last decade.
  • According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, between July 7 and August 20, 3106 Palestinian children were injured by the Israeli military in Gaza.
  • Of the more than 3100 children wounded, the UN estimates that 1000 of them will suffer a permanent disability as a result of their injury.
  • Thousands of unexploded bombs and shells pose a danger to civilians returning to areas they fled from during the fighting, putting children at particular risk.

CHILDREN TRAUMATIZED BY ISRAEL'S ASSAULT:

  • The UN estimates that 373,000 children require direct and specialized psychosocial support (PSS), while all of Gaza’s approximately 900,000 children have been affected by the war and need some level of psychosocial support. On July 28, UNICEF released a statement entitled “No safe place for children in Gaza.” In it, the head of the organization’s Gaza field office, Pernille Ironside, declared:

‘’The physical and psychological toll that the violence is having on people is almost indescribable… We see children killed, injured, mutilated and burnt, in addition to being terrified to their core.’’

  • Symptoms of trauma being evidenced by children include wetting of the bed, clinging to parents, and nightmares.
  • At least one Palestinian minor, a 16-year-old boy (now 17) named Ahmad Abu Raida, was held hostage for five days by invading Israeli soldiers and used as a human shield during their search for tunnels near his home near Khan Younis in southern Gaza, according to an investigation carried out by Defense for Children International-Palestine.
  • Most children six and older in Gaza have lived through multiple major Israeli military assaults during their short lifetimes.

FAMILIES DEVESTATED:

  • According to the UN, between July 7 and August 22 2014 at least 140 Palestinian families had three or more members killed in a single Israeli attack, for a total of 735 lives lost.
  • According to the UN, as many as 1500 children may have been orphaned by Israeli attacks that killed their parents.
  • The UN estimates that 6000 children will have a parent with a lifelong disability.

HOMES & LIVELIHOODS DESTROYED, FAMILIES STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE:

  • Since July 7 2014, more than 100,000 people have been displaced by Israeli attacks that destroyed or severely damaged their homes. (Prior to Israel’s assault in 2014, there were 12,000 Palestinians still displaced from Israel’s 2008-09 attack on Gaza, Operation Cast Lead.
  • Even before Israel’s onslaught destroyed thousands of homes and much of Gaza’s industry and civilian infrastructure, families were struggling under Israel’s siege, with 70% of the population receiving humanitarian aid and an official unemployment rate of 40.8% as of the first quarter of 2014.
  • According to UNICEF, eight out of 10 of Gaza’s approximately 900,000 children are dependent on humanitarian assistance.
  • Most children seven and younger in Gaza have lived their entire lives under Israel’s suffocating, illegal Gaza siege and blockade.

(ADDITIONAL) OBSTACLES TO EDUCATION FOR GAZA'S CHILDREN:

  • On August 24, 2014, nearly half a million Palestinian child in Gaza who were scheduled to start a new school year were unable to do so because of ongoing Israeli attacks.
  • According to UNICEF, 244 schools were damaged during Israel’s 2014 assault and are in need of repair, including at least two kindergartens. According to the UN, at least 25 schools were severely damaged and can no longer be used.
  • Many of Gaza’s schools continue to serve as shelters for the more than 100,000 Palestinians made homeless by Israeli attacks since July 7, 2014. According to the UN:

“Schools currently used as shelters will require varying degrees of rehabilitation in order to be ready for normal schooling. Initial repairs must also be carried out in war-damaged schools, and unexploded ordnance will need to be cleared to restore safety.”