Image Credits : Middle East Monitor
International children’s rights organization, Save the Children, has called on the UK government to immediately halt its arms sales to Israel, citing concerns over potential violations of international humanitarian law. The NGO issued its appeal on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), following a devastating Israeli airstrike that reportedly killed an entire Palestinian family, including several children, in Gaza.
In a statement on X, Save the Children referenced a BBC News story about a Gaza nurse who witnessed the strike’s aftermath. The organization expressed deep alarm at the impact of ongoing violence on children in the Palestinian territories. “We simply cannot accept the violence that Palestinian children continue to face as normal,” the organization said.
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has drawn sharp criticism from human rights groups, with reports suggesting that over 16,500 children have been killed since the onset of hostilities. The conflict, which has escalated in recent months, has resulted in widespread civilian casualties, including significant numbers of women and children. Humanitarian organizations have increasingly condemned what they describe as the disproportionate use of force by Israeli forces in densely populated areas.
Save the Children warned that continued UK arms exports to Israel could contribute to these atrocities, potentially implicating the British government in violations of international humanitarian law. The organization called for an immediate cessation of arms sales, pointing to the risks that British-made weapons could be used in attacks that target or indiscriminately harm civilians, including children.
Britain has long been a major supplier of defence equipment to Israel, with millions of pounds worth of arms sales confirmed in recent years. Although the British government has defended its weapons exports by saying it meets strict standards to prevent misuse, activists say those standards are inadequate given the extent of the suffering of the people in Gaza.