“We are profoundly shocked by the grave violations of children’s rights in the context of armed conflict in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” the members write. And during the same period Israeli forces or settlers have killed 51 Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank. In addition, about 3,250 Palestinians in Gaza, including at least 1,700 children, have been reported missing and are presumed to be trapped or dead under the rubble, awaiting rescue or recovery. Wednesday’s letter reaffirms the 24 members’ “unequivocal condemnation” of the attacks on Israel on 7 October and notes that Israeli authorities so far have confirmed the identities of 516 civilians killed, including 31 children, and at least 20 children who have been abducted by Palestinian armed groups.īut the signatories say they have “dire concerns” about the scale and scope of Israel’s response in which the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have now killed more than 11,078 Palestinians, nearly half of whom were children.Ĭiting UN figures, the letter says at least 4,500 children have died and at least 7,695 have sustained injuries in Gaza over the past 30 days. The issue has also divided Democrats in Washington, where the Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, and the House Democratic leader, Hakeem Jeffries, joined a “ March for Israel” on the National Mall on Tuesday. John Kirby, a spokesperson for the national security council, told reporters on Tuesday: “I want to be clear, when we’re talking ceasefire versus pause, there’s a difference. Last week Israel agreed to put in place four-hour daily humanitarian pauses in its assault on Hamas in northern Gaza but so far the White House has resisted demands for a ceasefire, contending that it would give Hamas time to regroup. But as the death toll in Gaza mounts the president, under pressure from his left flank, is now asking the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to restrain some tactics to ease civilian suffering. Photograph: Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty Imagesīiden has been unwavering in his support for Israel since Hamas’s terrorist attack on 7 October killed more than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals. Displaced Palestinians arrive in a safer zone south of Gaza City on 12 November.

Pot luck for children's party