The souls of Israels have been lost in the evil they do – Mark

During an Israeli military incursion into the Al-Tuffah area of Gaza City on December 27, 2023, Israeli forces detained at least eight Palestinian children and used several as human shields, according to documentation collected by Defense for Children International – Palestine. Israeli forces detained around 50 Palestinians, including brothers 13-year-old Abdullah H. and 11-year-old Abdulrahman H. as well as 12-year-old Karim S. Israeli soldiers forced them to take off their clothes and bound their hands before forcing them to walk in front of Israeli tanks.

“They insulted us, slapped me on my face, and kicked me in my stomach and waist. I almost died from the beating,” Karim told DCIP. “Then they made us walk in front of bulldozers and tanks in the streets so that the resistance wouldn’t target them.”

“They released dogs on us to scare me, beat me on the head, and stripped me of my clothes,” Abdulrahman told DCIP. “The soldiers fired shots over our heads and insulted us. We sat in the middle of Al-Yarmouk Stadium all night with our heads between our legs, surrounded by dogs, soldiers, and tanks. Anyone who asked for water or needed to use the bathroom was beaten with rifles.”

Since 2000, DCIP has recorded at least 31 cases in which Palestinian children were utilized by Israeli forces as human shields. Both international law and the Israeli High Court of Justice prohibit the use of civilians as human shields.

During the same incursion into the Al-Tuffah neighborhood, Israeli forces detained at least five other Palestinian children, according to documentation collected by DCIP.

“I was subjected to terror, humiliation, beating, insults and threats with dogs,” 14-year-old Hasan S. told DCIP. “When they bombed parts of the house, we tried to save our lives and leave the house, my mother, my father, little brothers.