Al Fakhoora Program Director Talal Al Hathal stressed the need for the international community to work decisively to impose a permanent and complete ceasefire in Gaza stripensuring humanitarian access and stopping the siege The injustice imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip, as well as adherence to international humanitarian laws stipulated in the Geneva Conventions.
In exclusive statements – to Al Jazeera Net – the program director said Al Fakhoora The Education Above All Foundation, one of the initiatives launched by the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, said that “independent investigations must be allowed to verify compliance with international humanitarian law, and this includes the protection of civilian infrastructure such as shelters, hospitals, and schools.”
Al-Hathal added, “Temporary and limited humanitarian pauses have proven to be insufficient. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a complete and sustainable cessation of hostilities.”
Al-Hathal stated that the indiscriminate bombing of schools and shelters constitutes a flagrant violation of humanitarian laws, so hostilities and bombing must be stopped completely, and humanitarian aid should be guaranteed to reach the people of Gaza, with a special focus on innocent children, adding that “these steps are necessary to prevent further loss of life.” And to ensure full protection of civilians, especially children.”
He pointed out the importance of enhancing public awareness and the role of awareness in building momentum towards accountability and attracting the world’s attention when it comes to the rights and protection of children, and added that this requires the international community to unite and stand in solidarity to achieve justice and accountability.
Al-Hathal said – in his statements to Al-Jazeera Net – that “pressure must be put on governments and international organizations to ensure that focus on urgent priorities is an essential part of this process.”
The genesis of the campaign
It is worth noting that in 2009, Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al-Misned had launched the international “Al-Fakhoora” campaign to protect the students of the Gaza Strip after the Israeli occupation forces targeted the Strip at that time, which included schools affiliated with the United Nations, including the “Al-Fakhoora” school, in which 43 martyrs and 100 wounded took refuge. To her, and the campaign derived the symbolism of its name from it.
Yesterday, Saturday, the Israeli occupation forces committed two massacres targeting displaced people in two schools, one of which was Al-Fakhoura School, in the Jabalia camp in the northern Gaza Strip, and the other in the Batal Al-Zaatar School, both in the northern Gaza Strip. Hundreds of people were martyred and wounded as a result of the two massacres, most of them children and women.
Bombing schools
Yesterday, Saturday, the Regional Office for Arab States of the United Nations Population Fund condemned the bombing of international schools and the targeted killing of innocent Palestinians, who were taking shelter in Al-Fakhoura School.
The UN office wrote, in a blog post on its account on the
In turn, the Islamic Resistance Movement said (agitationCommenting on the Israeli bombing of the school, “We will not leave this land, and you will be held accountable for your massacre in Al-Fakhoura and your continuing crimes against children and civilians, whether long or short.”
This is the second time that the occupation has committed a massacre in the UNRWA school, as it witnessed a horrific massacre two weeks ago, specifically on the fourth of November, which led to the death and injury of dozens.
It is noteworthy that Al-Fakhoura School is the largest school in Jabalia Camp, and it has been bombed more than once in recent years, most notably in 2009 and 2014.
