NEW YORK (Arab News/Wafa) – The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba, says she is “aware of the daily crimes committed against Palestinian children.”
Gamba reportedly expressed her anger with the crimes in a meeting with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki in Ramallah on Monday.
The UN representative affirmed her cooperation and coordination with the Palestinian Authority “to protect Palestinian children in light of the escalating Israeli violations and settlers’ violence.”
She stressed that the essence of her work is to ensure the protection of children in conflict areas, and that, according to her legal mandate, she has the authority to visit conflict areas and hold meetings and talks with the parties in the regions to urge them to provide protection for children from violence and crimes.
At the same time, she stressed that this visit will not be the last. She looks forward to cooperating with the Palestinian government and providing special training for workers in the Palestinian ministries.
Meanwhile, Wafa news agency reported the Palestinian Authority (PA) saying that Zionist troops forces have “executed” more than 52 children since the start of the year.
This came in a report submitted by al-Malki to Gamba.
Al-Maliki told Gamba that some of the Palestinian children were shot dead by occupation forces, others as were killed as a result of attacks carried out by settlers, or as a result of denying them access to medical treatment.
He highlighted how Palestinian education institutes were being targeted, including in Masafer Yatta and various Bedouin communities.
The minister also explained the Zionist regime violations against al-Lubban al-Sawiya schools, near Nablus, whether by preventing students from reaching schools or storming schools and arresting students.
Al-Maliki warned that the next Zionist rulers, which includes among its members extremists and terrorists such as Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, will be more hateful and vindictive of the Palestinians and ready to shed their blood.