Expressing concern over the alarming kidnapping of children and the unexplained disappearance of numerous Palestinian detainees from the Strip, Euro-Med Monitor emphasized the need for the international community to fulfill its obligations and exert pressure on “Israel” to guarantee their safe return, the Lebanese al-Mayadeen news site reported.
The organization based in Geneva emphasized its grave concern over the details released by Israeli Army Radio on January 1, 2024.
According to the report, Israeli officer Harel Itach, a Givati Brigade commander, allegedly kidnapped a Palestinian infant from her family home in Gaza following the killing of her family members. The specific date of the incident was not disclosed, but the organization underscored the significance of taking this information seriously.
After learning about the Israeli officer’s death on December 22, 2023, due to injuries sustained in the Gaza war, a close associate of Itach revealed the alleged kidnapping incident. The friend disclosed that the whereabouts of the Palestinian baby remains unknown.
Euro-Med Monitor cited numerous testimonies it has received, indicating a pattern where the Israeli army reportedly detains and relocates Palestinian children without providing information about their whereabouts.
It is worth mentioning that earlier on Tuesday the Palestinian Authority’s Foreign Ministry condemned the “kidnapping” of a Palestinian infant girl by an Israeli officer in the Gaza Strip, calling on the occupation to release her.
Additionally, Euro-Med Monitor has been receiving distressing reports from numerous Palestinian families who have lost communication with their children. The organization highlighted that these reports predominantly originate from regions experiencing Israeli ground incursions.
Euro-Med Monitor emphasized that the threat of Israeli soldiers forcibly relocating and disappearing children is escalating. This concern is particularly pronounced as hundreds of Palestinian families have reported the disappearance of one or more of their children.
On that note, numerous displaced families from northern Gaza or the raided areas of Khan Younis have reported the heartbreaking loss of their children during evacuations or home bombings.
Based on preliminary estimates, Euro-Med suggested that over 3,000 individuals, among them 200 women and young girls, have been apprehended by Israeli forces. These Palestinians are being held in detention, a clear violation of international law, and there is a lack of official information regarding the charges they face or the conditions under which they are being held.
AMK/PR
