RAMALLAH, July 2, 2018 (WAFA) – The Israeli military shot and killed 25 Palestinian children since the beginning of this year, 21 of them in the Gaza Strip, compared to nine killed during the same period of last year, the Palestine section of Defense for Children International (DCI) said in a press release on Monday.

It said 18 children were killed while participating in the March of Return protests launched since March 30 at the Gaza border with Israel.

DCI – Palestine said the Israeli army intended to kill the children by using live ammunition, explaining that 21 of the children killed were shot by live bullets and 11 of them were shot in the head and neck.

It also said the fate of Yousef Jaser Abu Jazar, 15, from Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip, who was shot by the Israeli army on April 29 while attempting to cross the border, remains unknown after the army has taken him away and later declared that he was killed without returning his body, while the Palestinian Ministry of Health could not confirm his death.

DCI – Palestine called for the arrest of the Israeli soldiers responsible for killing or maiming Palestinian children in clear violation of international law.

M.K.