Gaza government: 16,480 children killed in Israeli massacres since October 7

Gaza - Ma'an - Director General of the Government Media Office in Gaza, Ismail Thawabtah, said that Israel is deliberately committing massacres against Palestinian children, as it has killed about 16,480 children since October 7. Al-Thawabta added in a statement to Anadolu Agency: "The Israeli occupation deliberately committed massacres against Palestinian children in Gaza in a clear and large manner, as the number of child martyrs has so far exceeded 16,480 children." He added: "Among these are 115 infants who were born and killed during the war, including 53 males and 62 females, 7 of whom are from the North Governorate, 26 from the Gaza Governorate, 62 from the Central Governorate, 11 from Khan Yunis, and 9 from the Rafah Governorate." He explained that 35 children have died due to hunger and malnutrition since the beginning of the war, warning that 3,500 children in the Gaza Strip are facing the risk of death due to hunger and malnutrition and due to the continued Israeli restrictions and the war. As a result of the war and Israeli restrictions that violate international laws, Palestinians in Gaza, especially in the northern areas, suffer from severe shortages of food, water and medicine. Al-Thawabta pointed out that more than "17,000 children live without their parents or without one of them, after they were brutally killed by the Israeli occupation forces" since October 7. He continued, saying: "The Israeli occupation carried out field executions of fathers and mothers in front of their sons and children, without any consideration for their psychological state or young age." Over the past months, human rights institutions and international organizations have warned of the psychological effects on children as a result of the ongoing war. With American support, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7, leaving more than 132,000 Palestinian martyrs and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 10,000 missing, amidst massive destruction and deadly famine. Source: Maan News Agency