CRIN's statement on children's rights in Palestine and Israel

With the situation in occupied Palestinian territories and Israel deteriorating by the hour, we cannot be silent.

Since the unconscionable attacks carried out by Hamas on 7 October 2023, including against children, the already extensive child rights violations faced by children in Gaza and elsewhere in the occupied Palestinian territories have worsened immeasurably. There is a clear risk of genocide in Gaza. It is being announced to the world every day, in no uncertain terms.

CRIN unequivocally condemns the massive and grave violations of children’s rights in Gaza as well as the conditions which have allowed them to occur in the first place.

Nearly half of Gaza's current population are children and thousands of children have been killed by the Israeli military. Attacks from the air on or near hospitals have left no safe place for treatment for physical and psychological trauma. The Israeli army has cut off access to survival essentials including food, water and electricity. It has prevented access to essential medical care, medicine and equipment like ventilators and incubators. Communications blackouts have hindered Gazans’ ability to access life-saving information and connect with others. At least half of the homes in Gaza have been destroyed or bomb-damaged. Schools have been bombed and remaining schools are now being used as temporary accommodation for the estimated one million people who have been internally displaced by Israel’s ‘evacuation orders’ and attacks. Even those schools being used as shelters have been bombed. Entire multi-generational families have been killed. These are clear violations of the laws of war as well as violations of children’s human rights.

CRIN also unequivocally condemns the killings and kidnappings of Israeli civilians, including children, by Hamas. These are serious violations of human rights and children's rights, as well as likely amounting to war crimes.

Gaza’s children have long been subjected to widespread and serious rights violations. In 1948, thousands of Palestinians were killed, hundreds of thousands were expelled from their land in what is now Israel and millions of their descendants have been refugees since. The Palestinian territories have been under occupation for more than five decades and during this time, respect for children’s rights has declined relentlessly. Palestinian children are oppressed by ongoing and expanding settler colonialism and are victims of the international crime of apartheid. Gaza has been under a suffocating blockade for 18 years and has become an open air prison, including for children.

Currently, nowhere in Gaza is safe. Furthermore, violence against and killings of Palestinians, including children, by the Israeli army and settlers have escalated significantly in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem since 7 October.

We support the call for an immediate ceasefire to prevent the loss of further lives, as well as for rapid, unrestricted and sustained humanitarian aid. Hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally. Reparation, restitution and reconstruction must be secured. We also call for a renewed focus from governments and civil society to ensure an end to the occupation.

There must also be a commitment to accountability and justice. Those who breach children’s rights, regardless of their affiliation, must be held accountable before the law. The international community has shown in its response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine that it has the will, mechanisms and resources required to pursue those alleged to have committed crimes against children. It must do so again now and show a consistent commitment to accountability and justice.

And in the face of clampdowns on free expression elsewhere – including violence against protestors, arrests and bans of protests in support of Palestinians, including those involving child human rights defenders, it is more important than ever to speak out clearly about the human rights violations taking place and resist restrictions on doing so. The UN, which is tasked to protect civilians during times of conflict, has come under severe criticism for recognising the context of occupation. Support and solidarity are being repressed at a time when they are most needed. Dehumanisation always starts with language and it is urgent to challenge it and refuse to tolerate it. We must also challenge Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim hatred.

This must be the moment for all of us who are committed to human rights to dedicate ourselves for the long-haul to ensure the durable protection of children’s rights and the human rights of all in Palestine and Israel. All human rights must be equally – and fully – respected.