DCI Palestine reports that children make up approximately 23 percent of fatalities in Gaza

Edition 2: No. 51

DCI Palestine reports that children make up approximately 23 percent of fatalities in Gaza

[20 November 2012] – According to latest media reports the death toll in Gaza since the escalation in violence seven days ago has reached 115, including 27 children. These figures suggest that as many as 23 percent of Palestinian fatalities are children. In the same period, three Israelis have also been killed.

It should be noted that children were not immune from violence prior to the start of Israel’s latest offensive against the Gaza Strip on 14 November 2012. According to data collected by DCI, in the weeks immediately preceeding the latest violence, three children were killed and a further six children were injured in Israeli land, air and drone attacks on the territory.

DCI has two fieldworkers working in Gaza under extremely difficult circumstances. The fieldworkers have so far managed to independently confirm 18 cases involving child fatalities. The verification process takes time and the list of cases included in the table below is not exhaustive.

#	Name	Age	Date of death	Details
1	Hanin Tafesh	9 months	15 Nov	Died from injuries sustained when a bomb exploded in empty land adjacent to the family home.
2	Odai Naser	15	15 Nov	Died from injuries sustained when a bomb exploded in empty land adjacent to the family home.
3	Fares al-Basyouni	8	15 Nov	Died from injuries sustained when a bomb exploded in empty land adjacent to the family home.
4	Waleed al-Abadleh	2	15 Nov	Died from injuries sustained when a bomb exploded in empty land adjacent to the family home.
5	Tamer Seifan	3	18 Nov	Died from injuries sustained when the family home was directly hit in a drone attack.
6	Jomana Seifan	2	18 Nov	Died from injuries sustained when the family home was directly hit in a drone attack.
7	Tasneem an-Nahhal	9	18 Nov	Died from injuries sustained when a shell exploded as she returned home from shopping.
8	Iyad Khusa	1	18 Nov	Died from shrapnel wounds when his family home was directly hit in a drone attack.
9	Ashour Hamada	10	18 Nov	Died with his father when the vehicle they were travelling in was hit in a drone attack. Reports indicate they were selling water from the vehicle.
10	Hussein Nasr	6	18 Nov	Died from injuries sustained when his family home was directly hit in a drone attack.
11	Jamal ad-Dalou	5	18 Nov	Died from injuries sustained when his family home was directly hit in an airstrike.
12	Yousif ad-Dalou	3	18 Nov	Died from injuries sustained when his family home was directly hit in an airstrike.
13	Ibrahim ad-Dalou	1	18 Nov	Died from injuries sustained when his family home was directly hit in an airstrike.
14	Sara ad-Dalou	7	18 Nov	Died from injuries sustained when her family home was directly hit in an airstrike.
15	Yara ad-Dalou	14	18 Nov	Died from injuries sustained when her family home was directly hit in an airstrike.
16	Omar al-Astal	14	19 Nov	Died with his uncle in a drone attack as they were walking in the street.
17	Ahmad an-Nasasra	17	19 Nov	Died from injuries sustained when the family home was bombed.
18	Rama ash-Shandi	1	19 Nov	Died from a heart attack during a bombing raid.

According to the UN, another child was also killed in Gaza when a rocket fired by Palestinian fighters fell within the territory.

Between January 2000 and 19 November 2012, DCI has documented the deaths of 1,381 children killed as a result of Israeli military activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. This works out at approximately two children every week for the past 13 years.