Human Rights and Democracy Media Center- SHAMS, strongly condemns the murder crime committed, by the Israeli Occupation Army, against the 15 years old child Muhammad Al- Zaareer from Samou Town- Hebron, on Tuesday 1/8/2023. The Israeli soldiers shot child Al- Zaareer dead, with live ammunition, close to the so- called Ishtmou Settlement built on the lands of Samou Town. According to some eye- witnesses, the Israeli soldiers banned the medical emergency response teams from accessing the place where the child was shot and rescue his life. The medical teams were not allowed to transfer the wounded child to a medical center to receive treatment, which resulted in his death. Child Al- Zaareer is a diligent school student, at Bukhari Boys School in the Southern area of Hebron Governorate- ninth grade.
SHAMS Center asserts that the daily crimes against Palestinian children are profound violations of the International Human Rights Law. Palestinian children are subject to murder in cold blood, detention, holding the bodies of martyrs, held custody, and used as human shields during invading the Palestinian cities, towns, and refugee camps, by the Israeli army. The occupation state violates the rights of Palestinian children and denies the applicability of the international human rights law instruments that protect children for being civilians firstly, and secondly have no business in the armed conflicts. SHAMS Center affirms that targeting children is intentionally act to kill and harm them. The acts of the Israeli army are considered as war crimes and crimes against humanity, according to the international law and the perpetrators of such crimes should be accounted appropriately.
SHAMS Center stresses that the crime against child Al- Zaareer is a continuation of the daily crimes committed by the Israeli army against Palestinian children. Additionally, the crime is a manifestation of the policy of evading punishment that the Israeli army enjoys, thanks to the international and regional silence in the face of these atrocities, despite the fact that they are prohibited by International Law and violate the principles of democracy, human rights, civilization, and justice that the international community and the so-called free world communities uphold and celebrate.
SHAMS Center urges the United Nations and the Special United Nations Rapporteur and UNICEF, to full their legal and moral responsibilities and press on the occupation state’s government to end its crimes against Palestinian children. The United Nations should obligate the Occupation’s State to adhere to Geneva Fourth Convention and ensure that children are not targeted by the military acts and operations that the Israeli army commits in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
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