Children hold vigil in Gaza to demand release of peers in Israeli jails

By Mohammad Majid

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) - Palestinian children in Gaza demanded Thursday that the international community pressure Israeli authorities to release their peers in Israeli jails.

"We demand the intervention of the international community and human rights organizations to release children detained in Israeli jails," Farah Salim, 11, said at a vigil held by the General Authority for Youth and Culture (government) ahead of World’s Children Day on Nov. 20.

Farah, who lost her right leg during the last Israeli offensive on Gaza in May, said dozens of Palestinian children in Israeli jails are deprived of their basic rights, including visits.

She said 66 children were killed in Gaza by Israeli warplanes in May along with 1,948 children and women who were injured.

Farah also stressed the necessity to stop Israeli violations to allow children free movement and allow parents to visit them in jail.

Palestinian NGOs that follow prisoners' affairs said that as of October, 4,650 Palestinians are detained in Israeli jails, including 34 females, 160 minors and 500 held under administrative detention policy without charges or trials.

* Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara