"Israel reportedly intends to present a visiting senior UN official with what it says is proof that most of the Palestinian minors killed by Israeli troops had been involved with terror groups and were engaged in military or quasi-military activity.
Virginia Gamba, UN special representative for children and armed conflict, is currently on a visit to Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, during which she will visit senior Israeli and Palestinian officials, for her annual report of harm to children in the conflict.
Unnamed diplomatic sources cited by Channel 13 news and the Kan public broadcaster on Monday said that officials will present Gamba with information on the ‘cynical use of kids by Palestinians, especially by terror groups: From recruiting children and teenagers as combatants to weapons training, summer camps, indoctrination, and using UNRWA schools as shelters for terrorists.’
‘Regarding the Palestinian casualties, Israel will present data indicating that most teenagers were operatives of the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terror groups, or engaged in military activity or military-linked activity,’ a source told Channel 13.
‘Additionally, Israel expects Gamba to examine the Palestinians’ use of teenagers as part of terror activities,’ the source said.
Regarding conflict zones, anyone under the age of 18 is considered a minor.
Diligent preparations for Gamba’s visit were made amid concerns that military operations over the past year, which have seen the deaths of over 165 Palestinians, including some minors, could lead to harsh condemnation of Israel in the UN special representative’s annual report, the network said. They included gathering video filmed by IDF soldiers as well as other material justifying the recent anti-terror activities.
Israeli officials will stress to Gamba the efforts made to prevent injury to noncombatants given the difficult conditions under which operations against terror are conducted, much of it in an urban environment, Kan reported..."