checkpoints are usually at known locations...and children usually don't have business that involves going through a checkpoint...
there is simply no excuse for playing 'walk your child through a checkpoint'
oh my God.
i can not believe what i am reading here.
do you even look at a MAP before you make statements like this?
THERE IS SIMPLY NO EXCUSE FOR CHECKPOINTS!
.......................
IMPACT OF HOSTILITIES ON CHILDREN IN GAZA
BACKGROUND
Gaza witnessed a large military operation during the period of 14-21 November 2012. This
offensive followed several weeks of intermittent escalations in violence between Palestinian
armed groups and the Israeli military.
The impact of this latest round of violence on the civilian population in both Gaza and
southern Israel raises serious concerns. The uninterrupted waves of airstrikes and rocket
fire have triggered widespread fear among the civilian population in Gaza, particularly
among children. Dozens had to be treated for shock.
As of 5 December, 103 people had been killed in Gaza, including 33 children. A total of
1,399 people were injured, including more than 250 children. A total of 450 houses were
destroyed or severely damaged, and 105 schools and kindergartens were damaged. Of
these, 100 facilities sustained minor damage and 5 sustained heavy damage.
1
This crisis has compounded an already precarious humanitarian situation, the result of the
Israeli military Operation ‘Cast Lead’ since 2008 and the on-going restrictions on movement
of people and goods across borders, which have exposed children to violence in their daily
lives.
........
Children reported the following physical symptoms:
97 per cent reported clinging to their parents;
94 per cent reported sleeping with their parents;
91 per cent reported having increased sleep disturbances;
85 per cent reported an appetite change (increase or decrease);
84 per cent looked stunned or dazed;
77 per cent reported crying more;
76 per cent reported aches and feeling ill; and
47 per cent reported biting their nails.
........
However, a strong association was noted between physical symptoms and witnessing of the six
violent events reported above (shelling or destruction of their own home, destruction of a
neighbour’s home, airstrikes hitting homes or immediate surroundings, dead bodies and injured
people on television, bombs falling near the home, and killing of people by airstrikes). One third
of children (34 per cent) who witnessed all six violent events reported eight physical symptoms
compared to 18 per cent of children who witnessed up to three violent events.
Likewise, 32 per cent of children who witnessed all six violent events reported all seven
emotional symptoms, compared to 18 per cent of children who witnessed up to three violent
events. There were no differences between witnessing violent events and the fear scale,
perhaps indicating that fear was widespread, especially among children.
Fears and insecurity
Participants were asked questions related to changes in fear levels from the start of the
hostilities up to the time of the assessment. Fear of ‘loud sounds always’ ranked highest (80
per cent of children).
It was followed by fear of death, with 63 per cent of children reporting
‘fearing death always’ and 19 per cent ‘fearing death usually’. Other signs of insecurity
included 62 per cent of children reporting ‘fear of being alone always’, 59 per cent reporting
‘fear of injury always’ and 57 per cent reporting ‘fear of going out of the house always’.
These questions combined were developed into a scale with good internal consistency
(alpha=0.759) for further analysis. Compared with their feelings of fear prior to the hostilities,
Emotional symptoms
The questionnaire included several questions that could be combined to assess the
emotional status of children. Of those, seven were chosen for grouping and building a scale
called emotional symptoms, with good internal consistency (alpha=0.736). In comparison
with the period prior to the hostilities, the findings showed that 97 per cent of children
reported feeling insecure; 85 per cent reported difficulty in concentrating; 84 per cent
reported feeling dazed or stunned; 82 per cent reported feelings of anger and symptoms of
mental strain; 81 per cent reported an increase in excessive nervousness
;
and 38 per cent reported feeling guilty.
http://www.unicef.org/oPt/UNICEF_oPt_PSS_Rapid_Assessment_2012.pdf < click