Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesperson, September 18, 2002
Last night (17 September 2002), in the afternoon, a large explosive device was
activated against an IDF force in Han-Yunis. The device was thrown towards
the soldiers by a small child, who was one of a group of Palestinian children
who gathered together near an IDF Armored Personnel Carrier and threw stones
an IDF military installation in the area.
The brigade commander, Captain S. said that “During the afternoon hours, at
around 16:30, we identified a group of approx. 50-80 children approaching the
installation. The Children started throwing stones at the fence and at the
installation. I boarded an Armored Personnel Carrier in order to send out a
warning signal and make them leave the area. Several children, including
teenagers, approached the Armored Personnel Carrier. I shot a few warning
shots at the children ran away to the nearby neighborhood. One of the children
threw an object at me. The object, which seemed to be a bomb or a grenade
exploded about 50 meters from me”.
In reference to this, we hereby bring the words of Abu Mazen, the deputy of
the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority, who warned about the terror
organizations exploiting the Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip and using the
for carrying our terror attacks in the State of Israel. Abu Mazen revealed that
the Palestinian terror organizations pay each child five Israeli Shekels (a little
more than One US Dollar) for each explosive device they activate against the
IDF soldiers.
Abu Mazen says that some children suffered injuries as a result of their using
the explosives.”I oppose little children going to die. This is horrible thing. At
leat 40 children from the city of Raphah have lost their arms as a result of the
explosions of pipe bombs. They received five Israeli shekels for throwing them.
Who is willing for such a thing to happen to his son or family? In the
end, there was much ado concerning the 13-year old children sent to the
communities. What is being done about this?
