651 Palestinian children killed

651 Palestinian children were killed by Israel during the last 3 1/2 years, many of them while on their way to school or returning home. <!--break--> GAZA, April 5-- Palestinian Health Minister Jawad Al-Tibi said Monday that 651 Palestinian children were killed by the Israeli army during 42 months of the Intifada (Uprising). Al-Tibi made the statements to the press on the occasion of the International Day of the Palestinian child. The killed Palestinian children, out of the total 3,045 Palestinians killed since the outbreak of the Intifada on September 2000, were aged below 18, he said. "This death toll includes the victims killed by the Israeli army shelling, helicopters and military airplane bombings, as well Israeli army's random and intensive use of fire against Palestinian civilians," he said. Many of the children were killed while on their way to school or back home, and more than 30 new born babies died while stranded at the Israeli military checkpoints established all over the West Bank and Gaza Strip, he added. He added that 21 Palestinian children, 16 from the Gaza Strip and five from the West Bank, were killed by the Israeli army during the month of March 2004. These Israeli practices are a flagrant violation of the 4th Geneva Convention, he asserted. The minister, meanwhile, called on the United Nations and the World Health Organization to intervene to avert the deteriorating situation in the Palestinian territories.

<p>651 Palestinian children were killed by Israel during the last 3 1/2 years, many of them while on their way to school or returning home.</p> <!--break--><p>GAZA, April 5-- Palestinian Health Minister Jawad Al-Tibi said<br /> Monday that 651 Palestinian children were killed by the Israeli army<br /> during 42 months of the Intifada (Uprising). </p> <p>Al-Tibi made the statements to the press on the occasion of the<br /> International Day of the Palestinian child. </p> <p>The killed Palestinian children, out of the total 3,045 Palestinians<br /> killed since the outbreak of the Intifada on September 2000, were<br /> aged below 18, he said. </p> <p>"This death toll includes the victims killed by the Israeli army<br /> shelling, helicopters and military airplane bombings, as well<br /> Israeli army's random and intensive use of fire against Palestinian<br /> civilians," he said. </p> <p>Many of the children were killed while on their way to school or<br /> back home, and more than 30 new born babies died while stranded at<br /> the Israeli military checkpoints established all over the West Bank<br /> and Gaza Strip, he added. </p> <p>He added that 21 Palestinian children, 16 from the Gaza Strip and<br /> five from the West Bank, were killed by the Israeli army during the<br /> month of March 2004. </p> <p>These Israeli practices are a flagrant violation of the 4th Geneva<br /> Convention, he asserted. </p> <p>The minister, meanwhile, called on the United Nations and the World<br /> Health Organization to intervene to avert the deteriorating<br /> situation in the Palestinian territories. </p>