UNICEF: 40 Palestinian kids killed in March of Return rallies

The great 'March of Return' rallies culminated on May 15 to mark what Palestinians refer to as the Nakba, or Catastrophe, a reference to the forced removal of 750,000 Palestinians from their homes and villages to clear the way for Israel's establishment in 1948.

The mass Friday demonstrations have continued since then.

Since the protests began on March 30, Israeli forces have martyred at least 260 Palestinians in the besieged coastal enclave and wounded about 27,000 people, according to health officials in Gaza.

'On 30 March 2019, it will be one year since regular demonstrations at the security fence separating the Gaza Strip from Israel began,” UNICEF website reported.

“Over the last 12 months, some 40 children have been killed in these demonstrations. According to authorities, nearly 3,000 others have been hospitalized with injuries, many leading to life-long disabilities,” it added.

'UNICEF reiterates its outrage at the very high numbers of children who have been killed and injured as a result of armed conflict 2018.”

UNICEF noted 'all necessary measures need to be taken to ensure children are not targeted. Furthermore, any attempt to use children in protests and demonstrations that could turn violent is unacceptable.”

“Exploiting children’s lack of sense of purpose and vulnerabilities or enlisting them into violence are violations of children’s rights,” it reiterated.

Earlier, Hezbollah movement announced that in a meeting between Lebanon's Hezbollah Secretary General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah and a Hamas delegation both sides discussed the latest developments in Gaza.

According to Hezbollah statement a copy of which seen by IRNA office in Beirut, Nasrallah and Saleh Al-Arouri, deputy head of Hamas political bureau discussed the latest developments in the region.

Since Monday evening, Gaza has witnessed bombardment by Israeli jetfighters.

Meanwhile earlier, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in a resolution condemned Israel's intentional use of illegal and violent ways to stand against non-military protestors in Gaza Strip.

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