Why Is Israel Targeting Children in Gaza?

Israeli bombardments have resulted in the death of more than 6,000 children in less than a month out of the total casualties of more than 15,000, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

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There are multiple factors behind the high number of child deaths, as Gaza's demographic and geographic structure plays an important role, with almost half of the population under the age of 18.

A report presented by a group of experts in the Middle East region said that "the densely urban environment of the region increases the impact of airstrikes and, therefore, the presence of Hamas in these areas further complicates efforts to protect civilians."

It noted that the Israeli army's strategy of using repeated waves of air strikes is one of the main factors contributing to the high casualty rate among children. Israeli forces are targeting areas such as refugee camps, schools and hospitals, run by the United Nations, which undoubtedly pose a foreseeable danger to civilians.

The report pointed to the international community's concern about the critical situation in Gaza. UNICEF described the number of child deaths in Gaza as "a growing stain on our collective conscience."

This concern extends to the International Criminal Court, as prosecutor Karim Khan stated that Israel may be subject to investigation for committing war crimes by obstructing aid. He stressed that collective punishment and starvation of civilians is prohibited by the laws of war.

Stands out that the Israeli policy of mass murder of children responds to its demographic plan to eliminate young Palestinians, who represent a threat to its future occupation plans.