The 22nd anniversary of the international day of innocent children, victims of aggression, comes as Palestinian children are exposed to various forms of violent practices by the Israeli occupation.

In its emergency and extraordinary meeting regarding the Palestinian issues, the UN General Assembly was horrified by the large number of Palestinian and Lebanese children, victims of aggression, as a result of Israeli incursion to Lebanon. After 22 years of this anniversary, the Israeli threats are targeting Palestinian children in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and depriving them of their basic rights and freedom to live in a nurturing and safe environment as well as their rights to education and enjoying healthy psychological and physical development.

We, at Gaza community mental health Programme, stress on the findings supported by our research studies about the relationship between aggression, with its traumatizing impact, and the children's behavior in terms of the level of their thinking about political and social peace. The research studies show that 53% of children developed traumatic symptoms in areas of clashes, while 32% were in other areas of the Gaza strip. 54% of the children developed acute symptoms of trauma; while 35.3% developed moderate level of trauma symptoms.

In this regard, GCMHP stresses on the fact that those children are victims of aggression with all its forms; killings, injuries, imprisonments, or loss, as well as violation of their entire social, economic, and educational rights. The aggression also leads to reduction in the level of income for their families, which increases the level of poverty among children, reflecting negatively on their social and psychological well being. The generations of Palestinian children have accumulated, through years of exposure to long terms traumatic experiences, various forms of violence appeared blatantly in the current Intifada with the involvement of children in all forms of armed conflict, which led to an increase in the level of social violence for the child, in the school, among peers, and in other social contexts.

We, at GCMHP, are emphasizing that it is necessary for the international community to pay a close attention to the children, victims of aggression and violence particularly in; Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan and all areas of conflict worldwide. We stress that ignoring such issues is considered a violation of Child's Rights Agreement and also considered a form of violence against children, as stated by the agreement.

We appeal to the International community to work diligently towards stopping all violence directed at children as well as monitoring and documenting all aggression against them. Also, we appeal them to support rehabilitation programs to enable the children restore their psychological and social wellbeing, empowering them to be re-integrated in the society.

We, at GCMHP, appeal the local community to create and develop rehabilitation programs for victims of violence to reintegrate them in the community to be valued members in the community and enjoying security in a safe environment. We appeal to them to pay a close consideration to children's issues, especially their right of protection from the negative consequences of involvement in violence and military action in order to maintain their psychological and physical well being.