The global community must hold Israel accountable for its actions and ensure that those responsible for these crimes against humanity face justice.

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In Memory of the Children of Palestine:
A Call for Justice and Accountability
On August 10, in one of the deadliest strikes since the conflict began, Israel bombed the Tabeen school in Gaza City as they rose for morning prayers, brutally killing nearly 100 people, including women, children, and the elderly, in what can only be described as a massacre.

Following the attack, the Biden administration issued a statement ([link removed]) expressing "deep concern," yet on the very day the world learned of this tragedy, they approved $3.5 billion in military aid to Israel, including new weapon shipments. The timing was damning—on the day an Israeli missile obliterated a school-turned-shelter, the U.S. reaffirmed its support for Israel’s military actions.

This heinous slaughter is representative of a broader and more disturbing pattern of violence against Palestinian civilians, particularly children, under the ongoing Israeli siege and occupation of Gaza and Palestine.

On January 29, 2024, six-year-old Hind Rajab was brutally killed in the northern Gaza Strip. Hind was traveling in a car with her family when an Israeli tank, positioned just 150 meters away, opened fire. The tank unleashed a blast of 355 bullets, destroying the car and leaving Hind with no chance of survival. ([link removed]) Forensic investigations confirmed ([link removed]) that the Israeli tank fired from close range, effectively eliminating any chance for Hind and her family to escape. This was not an act of self-defense; it was an act of aggression that resulted in the death of an innocent child. Despite the clear evidence of wrongful action, accountability remains elusive.

This brutal and indiscriminate attack occurred in a civilian area, highlighting the constant threat faced by Palestinian families and paramedics under Israeli occupation. In addition, it has been reported that the Israeli army failed to contact the Red Crescent ([link removed]) or any medical assistance following the incident, leaving the family without immediate help. This lack of response further underscores the disregard for Palestinian lives and the systemic failures in protecting civilians. According to a report by Truthout ([link removed]) , while the U.S. government claims that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are investigating Hind’s death, on-the-ground evidence from aid groups suggests otherwise. On June 27, the House of Representatives voted 269-144
([link removed]) to prohibit the State Department from utilizing funds from the international affairs budget to reference Gaza Health Ministry statistics regarding the number of Palestinians killed by Israel in Gaza. This amendment to an appropriations bill reflects the censorship and misinformation surrounding civilian casualties in Gaza, obscuring the truth about innocent victims like Hind.

For the past ten months, the world has witnessed a severe escalation in attacks on Gaza, characterized by systematic targeting of civilians, destruction of homes, and crippling economic blockades. This period of intensified violence has not only resulted in the loss of countless lives but has also been marked by a deliberate strategy to terrorize and displace the Palestinian population. Such actions meet the criteria of genocide ([link removed]) , as they aim to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.

The international community cannot remain silent in the face of these atrocities. The continuous use of military force against civilians, the restriction of essential supplies and humanitarian aid ([link removed]) , and the destruction of infrastructure all point to a calculated effort to break the spirit and resistance of the Palestinian people. The siege of Gaza, now in its seventeenth year, has turned the territory into an open-air prison where the basic human rights of its residents are systematically violated. A recent article ([link removed](24)01169-3/fulltext) highlights the severe health impacts of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, shedding light on the deteriorating healthcare system, rampant malnutrition, and rising mortality rates among Palestinians. According to the article, the healthcare infrastructure in Gaza is on the brink of collapse,
with hospitals and clinics severely under-resourced and overwhelmed by the number of injured and ill patients. The report also predicts a significant increase in preventable deaths if the blockade and violence persists, estimating that thousands more will die from lack of medical care, food shortages, and unsafe living conditions in the coming years.

The complicity of the United States cannot be ignored. This continued support for genocide not only contradicts U.S. values but also directly violates several U.S. laws, including the Leahy Law, the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, and the Arms Export Control Act, among others. Continued enabling of Israel as it engages in actions the International Court of Justice now labels as apartheid can only be seen as complicity.

The disparity between official statements and reality reveals a pattern of U.S. endorsement and protection of Israeli actions, ([link removed].) allowing such human rights violations to continue with impunity. By providing unwavering political, financial, and military support to Israel, the U.S. not only enables but also approves the ongoing violence against Palestinians, including innocent children. This complicity must be addressed and rectified to prevent further loss of innocent lives, to uphold international human rights standards, and to ensure U.S. national security as increasing anti-American sentiment from abroad will only raise the threat of aggression toward the U.S. in the long term.

We must unequivocally condemn the Israeli government’s actions and call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and an end to the siege and occupation of Gaza and Palestine. The international community must hold Israel accountable for its actions and ensure that those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity face justice. The suffering of children like Hind Rajab, and countless other children across Gaza, should serve as a wake-up call to the world. It is time to act decisively to protect the lives and rights of Palestinian children.

In memory of innumerable innocent martyrs, we demand justice, accountability, and an end to the violence that has plagued Palestine for far too long. The world must not turn a blind eye to this ongoing genocide.
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