23 of the incalculable civilian victims in Gaza so far are children, which bluntly exposes the falsity of the constant Israeli claims that this so-called operation aims at stopping Palestinian attacks on Jewish settlements in Gaza, or for that matter protecting Israeli civilians from Hamas Qassam rocket attacks

On September 30, the first day of the undergoing Israeli “operation” seven children were killed when an Israeli tank fired shells near a school in Jabaliya. Today, a kindergarten was targeted as well, rubble landed in the middle of classrooms around the kids artwork and alphabets.

The Israeli army operations and actions throughout the West Bank and Gaza caused the death of 595 children since September 2000. 10,000 have also been wounded. Nearly one third of all children killed were under the age of 13, children between 13 and 15 years of age constituted 32% of child deaths and 35% were aged 16 and 17.

Most of those innocent victims were not killed during confrontation with Israeli soldiers, but as a result of Israeli air and ground attacks, during assassination attempts or random firing by Israeli soldiers. The highest child fatalities resulted from head injury, which means that they were targeted.

Everyday a new family mourns a young life wasted in agony and with heavy sadness, everyday we see new faces posted on the walls in our streets. Everyday new seats in schools all over Palestine become empty.

Their classrooms are becoming colorless, their faces are wrinkled and their eyes are no longer sparkling. The children are not bursting with life and when they walk, they stumble across dozens of sad stories, about a dark future yet to come.

How much longer will Palestinian children have to carry the burden of the occupation, their demolished homes and their frightened mothers on their small hands, those hands that are delicate enough to touch heaven?

Despite their exhausting situation, Palestinian children created a space for hope, laughter and a little bit of happiness; they sprung from their refugee camps and villages alleys to spread amongst us some joy, without knowing, they are catching us from falling backwards.

With their kites they broke the deafening silence of our skies during the countless incursion and curfews; they played music and ran to a better world when soldiers blackened our days. Until today they have the strength to sing, play football and run all over the place.

They will never be broken, they learned to maintain their ability to dream and avoid growing older before their time, and they learned to break into a smile when they feel their parents shaking voices. They always manage to save us from any dehumanizing attempts Israeli soldiers practice, whether by stealing our sleep with their constant bombing, stopping us for endless hours on the checkpoints in the burning sun, or invading the peacefulness of our cities with their jeeps and tanks.

One cannot help but wonder where they borrow all their bravery from, they defeated thousands of soldiers, jeeps and tanks, and allowed peace to prevail, even if for a little while.

Thank you Palestinian children for standing up when the Israeli bombing shook us to the ground, for rebuilding your demolished classrooms, for overpowering you bedtime monsters and for always having the capacity to embrace our failed attempts to comfort you.