Ministry of prisoners: Israel deliberately kidnaps and maltreats children

[ 19/05/2009 - 05:19 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)-- The Palestinian ministry for prisoners’ affairs in Gaza said Tuesday that the IOF troops deliberately kidnap Palestinian children under age 18, physically attack them and use violent ways to interrogate them.

In a statement received by the PIC, the ministry underlined that the international conventions prohibit the detention of children except in limited special cases on condition that they are well treated and given their rights provided for by international law.

The statement highlighted that Israel does not respect any of these conventions and systematically kidnap children as many as it can from their homes, schools or during their presence on the streets and at the checkpoints.

The kidnapped children, according to the statement, are exposed to severe beatings and threats by IOF troops in order to inflict psychological harm on them so that they cannot think of resisting the occupation when they grow up.

The statement pointed to the kidnapping of six Palestinian children a few days ago in one of Ramallah villages, saying that they were maltreated and interrogated for 14 continuous hours without allowing them to eat, drink or use the toilets.

The statement also noted that the number of children in Israeli jails rose to more than 430 prisoners, many of them are less than 12 years of age, adding that those children suffer from deliberate medical neglect, and are forced to wear orange uniform and sleep on the ground.