Defense for Children International – Palestine, Nov 19, 2024
Ramallah, November 19, 2024 – Palestinian children with severe injuries, who evacuated Gaza to receive treatment in Egypt, now face an unknown future.
Defense for Children International – Palestine visited hospitals in Cairo where Palestinian child patients are receiving treatment for serious injuries from Israeli airstrikes, shelling, and live ammunition attacks in Gaza. Several children, including 14-year-old Ziad and two-year-old Alia,* traveled to Egypt without their parents or any family members. Palestinians have been unable to travel to Egypt since Israel closed the southern Rafah crossing in May.
“Palestinian children forced to evacuate Gaza for medical treatment without any family members are vulnerable to exploitation and must be protected,” said Ayed Abu Eqtaish, accountability program director at DCIP. “Under international human rights law, Egypt has a legal obligation to protect these vulnerable children and support efforts to reunite them with their families…