Children in a Hamas training facility and a mock tunnel
(IDF)
The IDF revealed Wednesday evidence that Hamas and the Islamic Jihad used children in the Gaza Strip for terror activities, motivated and trained them in the art of terror and incited them to terrorism.
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"Children in the Gaza Strip are indoctrinated from a young age to hate Israel and Jews in schools, youth movements, and summer camps," the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said. "The children undergo theoretical and practical military training," he said.
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A Gazan child holding a rifle next to a Hamas terrorist
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
"As part of its routine, Hamas operates summer camps where children learn to shoot rifles, tunnel warfare, anti-tank combat, and even the abduction of soldiers. These camps serve as early stages for military preparation," the IDF spokesperson added, noting that according to intelligence estimates, both Hamas and the Islamic Jihad have a significant number of child recruits.
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Children undergo military training, both theoretical and practical
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
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Certificates of appreciation for children in the Hamas youth movement
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
"Even during wartime, the terror groups exploit children for various tasks, such as sending them on missions to deliver messages and weapons. As previously exposed by the IDF, an investigation of a Hamas battalion commander revealed that part of their combat strategy involves using children to transport explosives, for example, disguised as bags of vegetables, based on the understanding that the IDF will not harm them," the IDF stated.
The military also emphasized that Gazan children used by Hamas are sent to the battlefield after attacks to assess the impact and report it to terrorists hiding in tunnels and shelters.