As blockade bites deep, more Gaza children must work

[subsuelo]

Although the Palestinian Child Law of 2004 forbids children under age 15 from working, the phenomenon has become more prevalent among that age group and younger due to the harsh economic conditions in Gaza. In June, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) published a report stating that the closure of Gaza has pushed the unemployment rate to 44 percent and caused a dramatic rise in poverty. Currently, more than 70 percent of Gaza's population lives in poverty, with an income of less than $250 a month for a family of seven to nine.

A crippling Israeli blockade has hampered public life in Gaza, with 95 percent of local industries being forced to shut down, due to lack of essential raw materials and shortage of machineries. According to the ICRC, only 2,662 truckloads of goods entered Gaza from Israel in May. This represented a decrease of almost 80 percent from the 11,392 truckloads Israel allowed in during April 2007, before Hamas took over the territory amidst factional fighting with the US-supported Fatah party of West Bank Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas. Israel imposed a siege on Gaza after Hamas' takeover.

Sajy al-Mughanni, communication officer for the UN children's agency (UNICEF) in Gaza, blamed Israel's 25-month siege for the growing poverty as well as the increasing number of working children in the region. He explained that, "We do have a high level of unemployment in Gaza. In terms of child labor, we don't have specific numbers. But we do use our teams to go out in the field, to do an assessment and try to intervene with the families. I can confirm to you that the phenomenon of child labor is growing. The increase of this phenomenon can be mainly attributed to the Israeli blockade."

Al-Mughanni added that, "We are coordinating with all UN agencies to provide food aid or health care to many families, in an attempt to provide relief and prevent further spread of the child labor phenomenon. However, this is not solving the problem drastically. So if we want to realize an end to such a phenomenon, the Israeli blockade should come to an end and Palestinians in Gaza should go back to their normal life, prior to the imposition of the siege."

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article10685.shtml">by Rami Almeghari - full story here

[Sezu]

1. This does not compute

If unemployment is HIGH, where and why the hell are children getting jobs?

[Name removed]

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[LeftishBrit]

3. If the reason why unemployment is high is that employers can't afford to hire people...

then child labour (if legal or tolerated) often becomes commoner, because children are usually cheaper to hire and easier to exploit than adults. It happens the world over, and was common in Britain until the laws cracked down on child labour.

[Kurska]

5. If there is no minimum wage though, why would kids even be cheaper?

Child labor was common in england because of specific factory jobs where children were preferable to adults (Small fingers.. bodies and such..), or atleast that was the assumption I was under.

[Lithos]

6. Children tend to accept harsher work conditions

...

[Violet_Crumble]

8. My kid sure as hell doesn't...

She's so Gen Y about any job and conditions she'll have....

[ConsAreLiars]

7. "The increase of this phenomenon can be mainly attributed to the Israeli blockade."

The intent of the IDF's siege and blockade, and murderous mass slaughters like the invasion in December, is to drive the Gazans into such a condition of suffering and hardship that they will turn against Hamas. Collective punishment. It's an old theory and a far too common practice historically.

In this case the practice seems particularly directed against the most vulnerable, the children, as reflected by the rapid increase in malnutrition among infants and young children due to the specific types of nourishment and foodstuffs being blocked. The destruction of schools was one more example. The denial of medicines, hospital equipment and so on is another.

The IDF actions are designed to particularly cause suffering and hardship among the children on the assumption that seeing their kids suffer and die will cause the Gazans to blame Hamas.

Or if not that, then to fuel the intensity of the anti-Israeli sentiment so that the conflict is further intensified and even more massacres will be seen as justifiable and supported by the population of Israel, and even more harsh measures are accepted, and the supremacists/jingoists/apologists have a few more dishonest talking points.

What follows after walling off enclaves where Palestinians live and establishing barriers and checkpoints, destroying their means of livelihood, taking their land, confiscating their property, driving them into camps?

I think the historical record is clear. US history is enough. But this same story has been recorded in many parts of this sad planet.

(edit to add a dropped "o" and an "a")

[shira]

9. Hamas is putting them to work digging tunnels

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=124x279660#280076

see the 4th youtube link from the bottom.

another warcrime by Hamas.

yawn.

:sarcasm: