The bodies of 73 children were among 106 Palestinians buried on Saturday in Gaza. The bodies were recovered from beneath the rubble of a residential building southeast of Gaza City, reportedly destroyed more than two years ago in an Israeli airstrike.
This is the second time a funeral this large has been held in the span of one month. More than 21,000 children have been killed in Gaza since October 2023.
Ahmad Alhendawi, Save the Children’s Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, said:
“Over the course of one month, we have twice witnessed the same tragic scene in Gaza: children putting flowers and lighting candles over the bodies of other children at a mass funeral. These shattered souls stand witness to the brutal cost this war has on children. This cannot be normalised, as so many other tragedies in Gaza have been.
These scenes must enrage us. Humanity cannot accept mass funerals of Palestinian children as a reality, and we cannot stand still and watch this continue. It’s been 332 days since the “ceasefire” plan was signed, yet over 300 children have been killed since then. Israeli forces must stop killing, displacing and maiming children. The promises of this plan, made nearly a year ago, must be fulfilled: Gaza needs a permanent ceasefire, reconstruction, and recovery.
Israeli authorities must allow access for search and recovery teams and the entry of the heavy machinery, specialist equipment, and forensic resources needed to recover those still buried beneath the rubble. Families have the right to recover, identify, nd mourn their children.
As per their obligations under international law, the international community must ensure accountability for the immense harm that Palestinian children have suffered and the over 21,000 who have been killed."
ENDS
MEDIA CONTACT: media.team@savethechildren.org.au