Palestinian children say forced to strip by Israeli soldiers in southern Gaza

By Nour Abuaisha

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – Palestinian children have spoken about being forced by Israeli soldiers to undress in the town of Al-Qarara in the southern Gaza Strip.

Israeli army forces moved into the town early Wednesday under heavy bombardment, according to an Anadolu reporter.

In testimonies gathered by Anadolu, children said that Israeli soldiers had raided several homes in the town and forced them to remove their upper clothes.

Several people, including women, were detained during the Israeli operation.

Anadolu captured images of the children who had been forced to take off their clothes as they arrived at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.

There was no Israeli comment by the time of publishing this report.

Israel has continued its brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 Hamas attack despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

Nearly 36,600 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, the vast majority being women and children, and over 83,000 others injured, according to local health authorities.

Nearly eight months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in its latest ruling has ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its operation in the southern city of Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio