RAMALLAH, July 15, 2018 (WAFA) – Palestine Liberation organization (PLO) Executive Committee Member Hanan Ashrawi strongly condemned on Sunday Israel‘s largest military operation against the besieged Gaza Strip since its 2014 aggression.
Amir al-Nimra, 15, and Louay Kaheil, were killed as they were playing in a public park in the al-Katiba area of Gaza City, and at least 15 others were wounded when Israeli warplanes targeted and heavily shelled various areas in Gaza on Saturday. Another teenager, Othman Rami Hillis, 15, was shot in the chest and killed by Israeli forces as he participated in the Great March of Return protests on Friday.
"Israel is deliberately targeting and killing Palestinian children. Such a brutal and criminal campaign against the people of Gaza is allowed to persist by the international community‘s inaction and American collusion with the military occupation. The targeting of public places and playgrounds constitutes a war crime and violates international law and international humanitarian law,” said Ashrawi in a statement.
Since 30 March, 140 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, and roughly 15,000 Palestinians have been injured. “As long as the world remains silent, Israel‘s systematic campaign of brutalizing and terrorizing innocent Palestinians will only continue,” she said.
“We urge all members of the international community, as well as all relevant organizations, to intervene immediately and to exhibit the moral and political courage necessary to put an end to Israel‘s unlawful and immoral behavior and to adopt punitive measures and sanctions. Failure to provide protection for the Palestinian people will lead to further escalation and result in more bloodshed."
In addition, Ashrawi denounced the Israeli closure on Saturday of Al-Quds University‘s Hind Al-Husseini College of Arts campus in occupied East Jerusalem; the College was hosting a two-day academic conference.
"Such an incident is part of Israel‘s ongoing policy that targets Palestinian institutions and undermines academic freedom and education in Jerusalem. Israel‘s draconian measures and egregious violations clearly serve its plan to complete the total annexation and isolation of Palestinian Jerusalem," said the PLO official and academic.
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