IDF: Hamas cynically sent 7-year-old girl to breach Gaza border
The Israeli army accused the Hamas terrorist organization of sending a 7-year-old girl to the Gaza security fence during deadly protests in the coastal enclave on Friday.
According to the army, the young girl was spotted by soldiers as she approached the security fence. The troops, who were on the Israeli side, met the girl as she reached the fence, an army spokesperson said.
“When the IDF troops realized it was a girl, they picked her up and made sure that she could get back to her parents safely,” the army said. It did not say how it coordinated with girl’s parents on the Gaza side.
The army blamed Hamas for sending the child, though it provided no immediate evidence to back up the claim.
“Hamas cynically uses women and children, sending them to the fence and endangering their lives,” the army said in a statement.
The IDF’s Arabic spokesperson, Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee, wrote on Twitter to Gaza residents that Hamas was taking advantage of them by sending them to the border where they are “putting themselves in danger.” Palestinians said at least 7 people were killed and over 1,000 injured in clashes along the border Friday. The IDF Spokesman later said all of the dead were aged 18-30 and at least two of them were Hamas members.
“Hamas is using you and distracting your attention from its responsibility to take care of you and govern the Gaza Strip. Hamas is sacrificing you to move forward with useless agendas and wasting millions instead of investing in your well-being,” wrote Adraee.
“Don’t let Hamas use you! Don’t put yourselves in danger for nothing. You deserve a better future than what Hamas has planned! You deserve more than a reality of violence, incitement and terrorism,” he added.
Read More: Times of Israel