A toddler of 2 years and a 4 year old were killed in Gaza by an Israeli air strike just days ago. In the same week a10 year old girl died from gunfire whilst sheltering in her tent.  On 25 August, three children aged eight, ten and seventeen were reported hit by live ammunition fire and two 11-year-olds by shrapnel following strikes, suffering life-changing injuries.  A 16 year old boy died of wounds he had received the previous week.

All of this during a ‘Ceasefire’.

Israel is now including as ‘targets’ kids flying kites in Gaza. Kite flying is one of the few joys left to children and one that Peace activists in Orkney shared in a few weeks ago in solidarity with the village of Burin.

This Saturday, 29 August, islanders will join in vigil on the Kirk Green, outside St Magnus Cathedral, between 1 and 2pm in their calls for Peace and Justice for Palestine. They welcome all those who wish to join with them to see a permanent ceasefire and the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to the besieged in Gaza.

This week Israel has also targeted UNICEF relief supplies.

“The vital nutrition supplies were intended to support more than 40,500 vulnerable children, aged between 6 and 23 months, as well as 4,900 pregnant and breastfeeding women. “

On August 24, a UNICEF-supported water well and desalination facility in the Deir Al Balah area was also severely damaged by a nearby strike. More than 4,000 people, including around 2,000 children, rely on safe drinking water from the facility. UNICEF and partners are providing emergency water trucking to affected families to help maintain access to safe water while the facility is unable to operate. 

“Children are being killed and injured, while those who survive are seeing essential services and supplies that they depend on destroyed,” said UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Edouard Beigbeder.

“Beyond the loss of life, the destruction of vital supplies and damage to essential services continue to deepen the suffering of children and families already struggling to survive.” 

70 per cent of Gaza’s water and sanitation infrastructure is damaged, and 63 per cent of people are unable to access even six litres of drinking water per person per day. 

Every week The Orkney News documents the Orkney Vigils for Gaza. Here is the latest film from Mike Robertson. In it the organisers describe some of the other events which are being held in Orkney to support the people of Palestine.

Fiona Grahame

---