Gaza _ Palestine News Network
The international Movement for the Defence of Children-Palestine (DCI) presented a joint report to United Nations investigators detailing the killings of Palestinian children by the Israeli occupying forces during peaceful marches in the Gaza Strip, a behaviour that amounts to war crimes.
The report consists of 57 pages, prepared in collaboration with the human Rights and Gender Justice Clinic (HRGJ) at the Faculty of Law of the University of New York City (CUNY), and provides a background and context for peaceful path in the Gaza Strip, and confirms that the killing of Palestinian children by occupying forces is illegal, as Clarifies the details of serious violations of international law committed by the occupying forces.
The report was submitted to the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on the 2018 marches in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which was established during a special session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in May 2018.
The report indicates that 57 Palestinian children were killed by the Israeli occupying forces and settlers in the Occupied Palestinian territory during 2018 (one of whom was martyred by wounds sustained in 2014), including 45 children who were martyred in the Gaza Strip since the start of peaceful marches on March 30, March According to the evidence gathered by the international Movement for the Defence of children.
According to the movement´s evidence, the overwhelming majority of the children killed by the occupying forces did not pose any threat to the occupation soldiers for the moment they were killed.
The report concludes that the occupying forces and Israeli officials are responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity and other serious violations of international law because of the killing of Palestinian children protesting in the Gaza Strip.
"The Israeli occupation soldiers are implicated in systematic human rights violations against Palestinian children, because of the pervasive culture of impunity and their prior knowledge that they will not be held accountable for their actions, no matter what the outcome," the World Movement for the defence of Children said.
"Commissioners must pursue accountability by analysing violations of international criminal law that fall within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court and naming perpetrators," she said.
In order to challenge the culture of impunity enjoyed by the occupying forces and to increase protection for Palestinian children, DCI urged the Independent International Commission of Inquiry established by the United Nations Human Rights Council to analyse violations committed by The occupation may rise to the level of war crimes and crimes against humanity, name the perpetrators and determine the criminal responsibility of high-ranking members of the occupying forces or others.
The United Nations Human Rights Council held a private meeting on 18 May May 2018 in Geneva, in view of the deteriorating human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, during which it adopted a resolution establishing an independent international commission of Inquiry to investigate all violations of international law in the Palestinian territories Occupied in the context of mass protests that began on 30 March 2018.
While the Israeli occupation authorities have selectively opened their own investigations in a limited number of incidents that have occurred since 30 March March 2018, they have consistently failed to conduct impartial and independent investigations into alleged violations of their forces in accordance with international standards.
Under international law, children affected by armed conflict are entitled to special respect and protection, but the Israeli occupying forces have consistently violated this protection through indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks leading to the unlawful killing and maiming of children amounting to war crimes, According to the evidence gathered by the international Movement for the Defence of children.
