Families of hostages and representatives of the Israel National Council for the Child protested this evening (Monday) opposite the UNICEF offices in Tel Aviv, decrying the silence of the UN regarding the dangers faced by the children held in Hamas captivity in Gaza: “Children were abducted from their beds, while watching their parents be murdered – where is the UN? Those who are silent in this time, are complicit in Hamas crimes.”
As part of International Children’s Day, families of Hamas hostages presented a medical report showing findings of increased exposure to physical violence, abuse, sexual harm, and long term emotional damage and demanded of UNICEF: “For 45 days, innocent babies and children have been held in substandard conditions underground. They are in real life danger and exposed to irreversible psychological harm. Don’t stand aside,
Representatives of the Israel National Council for the Child and hundreds of Israeli civilians joined in on the protest. A video showing all the child hostages was screened on the organization’s building. The event was joined by Israeli entertainers Ran Dakner, Atarah Oriyah, Omer Lax, and actress Efraim Boimfeld.
According to the report, according to the Hostage Families Forum, the babies, children, and youth are at increased risk of physical violence and abuse, including sexual assault, disfiguration, humiliation, and long term harm. For instance, Avigail Idan, 3.5 years old, is being held hostage alone in the Gaza Strip. She was witness to the murder of her two parents and separated from her two brothers (6 and 9 years old) who survived the murderous attack.
Like Avigail, there are a number of other three and four year olds who experienced terrible things and seem to have been separated from their families. These very young children are at risk due to a deterioration in nutrition and hygiene. According to reports of one of the freed hostages, the hostages receive one meal a day and at a low level of nutrition. This nutrition is entirely insufficient for the children’s health and physical development and could cause nutritional deficiencies over time.
Mother of Captive Children: “Where are my children’s rights”?
Hadas Calderon, the mother of Erez (12) and Saar 16) Calderon being held captive in Gaza, cried out at the silence of the world at the denial of her children’s rights: “We mark International Children’s Day today and I ask where are my children’s rights? Children were brutally kidnapped and the world is silent. UNICEF – you forgot your role. I am torn from worry and real anxiety. Who cares for them when they’re cold or hungry or scared? I miss their smell, their hug, their laughter. My children should be able to play, fly kites, and eat chocolate but now they are tossed in Gaza among the bombs and the rain, without being able to see the sunlight and hope. Every child has a dream and the 38 children kidnapped in Gaza have one dream: to come home now.”
Yoni Asher, whose wife and daughters Raz (5) and Aviv (3) are being held captive in Gaza added: “My wife and children were cruelly kidnapped from their grandmother’s home, after seeing horrors on the way to Gaza. This is what little girls should see? How can I feel pain and worry for every child in the world, how can it be that an international organization like UNICEF can’t say the same thing? You can’t define yourself as an organization protecting the rights of children, if you can’t see to the children on both sides of the fence. I demand to see a statement by you tonight about our children being kidnapped in Gaza. My children see me as a superhero. UNICEF, you need to be the superheroes of all the children of the world and you need to demand to release all the children now.”
Turned Into Bargaining Chips at the Expense of Their Humanity
Adv. Vered Vindman, Director of the Israel National Council for the Child: “I represent children and youth who have been taken from their homes for 45 days. They have been turned into bargaining chips at the expense of their humanity. This is a terrible crime against humanity. Who gives them warmth, food, takes care of them? We came here with one message. When you say you care for every child, do you also include those held now in Gaza? UNICEF – it is your duty and you must turn every stone to find them. Don’t stop until you succeed in bringing them home.”
Shai Gross, the youngest of the Entebbe captives who participated in the protest, told of the moments of being held captive there. “I was a small boy when I was kidnapped with my parents to Entebbe and despite all the years that have passed. I still feel the fear. Little children shouldn’t be captives, they should be playing. Little children shouldn’t be captives. I came back a different kid from captivity. We have no time, I call on the UN to return the children. I demand you wake up and return them home now. Today it’s by us, tomorrow it’s by you.”
Professor Hagai Levin, the head of the Hostage Families Forum’s medical and resilience team responded to the findings of the medical report: “Already for 45 days, innocent babies, children, and youth are held in Hamas captivity without sign of life of access to appropriate medical treatment. All the kidnapped children are vulnerable and exposed to physical violence and abuse, including sexual harm, disfiguration, humiliation, long term physical and psychological harm and harm to their health due to lack of treatment. We call today, on International Children’s Day, UNICEF, the International Red Cross, to children’s rights and health organizations – end your silence, don’t stand aside and do your job. You must call and work for their immediate release, and provide them the medical treatment they need to recover from the deep physical and emotional consequences of their suffering.”
Sapir Mosafi, Chairman of the National Students and Youth Council: “40 children are held hostage in Gaza, including a children which was just born. My role is to give voice to the children, but how can you give voice to a voice unheard? I always thought there are boundaries in struggle and war, but now it turns out there aren’t. We youth are here, because the children trust us not to be silent until they come back safe and embrace their parents.”