Palestinian children wounded in Gaza strikes receive medical treatment in Lebanon
Beirut: A group of Palestinian children injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza have been transferred to Lebanon for specialized medical care, according to health officials and aid agencies, as reported by Reuters.
Six-year-old Omar Abu Kuwaik lost his hand and suffered severe burns and leg injuries in a December 2023 airstrike. Omar arrived in Beirut earlier this month through an evacuation facilitated by the World Health Organization (WHO). The strike on his grandparents’ home killed his parents, sister and other relatives, making him the sole survivor. Doctors in Lebanon are evaluating him for reconstructive surgery and a prosthetic hand.
14-year-old Amir Hajjaj, sustained shrapnel injuries to his shoulders and legs. He also lost his fingers when his family home in northern Gaza was struck in 2023. He is currently undergoing rehabilitation in Beirut.
In a separate case, Aya Abdallah aged 7, lost her right leg in an airstrike. Her sister Mays aged 5, suffered fractures and nerve damage. Both girls are receiving treatment in Lebanon. Aya is expected to be fitted with a prosthetic limb and Mays will continue physiotherapy.
According to UNICEF records around 45,000 children have been wounded in Gaza since October 2023. Many sustained permanent disabilities, while more than 18,000 children have been killed.
Due to Gaza’s overwhelmed hospitals and restricted exit routes, medical authorities in Beirut have noted that only a limited number of wounded children have been evacuated
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NCW chief condemns rape-murder of 4-year-old girl in Pune, calls for swift action
New Delhi (PTI): National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has condemned the alleged rape and murder of a four-year-old girl in Maharashtra's Pune, calling it "deeply distressing" and a "blot on humanity".
The girl was allegedly raped and killed by a 65-year-old labourer, who has a criminal record, in Bhor tehsil of Pune on Friday. The accused allegedly lured the child to a cattle enclosure on the pretext of giving her food. After raping her, he killed her by hitting her with a stone, according to police.
The accused has been arrested.
In a post on X on Saturday, Rahatkar said the incident in the Nasrapur area in Pune was heartbreaking and has shaken society.
"The brutal torture and murder of a four-year-old innocent girl in Nasrapur (Bhor, Pune) is deeply painful, heartbreaking, and shocking. It is a blot on humanity," she said.
She said Pune Rural police has arrested the accused and noted that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar have assured strict action in the case.
Rahatkar said the NCW has taken cognisance of the matter and written to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), requesting the body to ensure necessary and prompt action.
It has also been recommended that the case be pursued under stringent provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and be closely monitored from the filing of the chargesheet to proceedings in a fast-track special court to ensure time-bound justice, she added.
Ensuring justice for the victim and stringent punishment for the accused is a collective responsibility, the NCW chairperson underlined.
In a post on X, the NCW said it has taken suo motu cognisance of the extremely "heinous" incident.
"This heinous crime causes profound pain and outrage, and it highlights serious concerns regarding the safety of young girls," it said.
Strongly condemning this grave "inhuman act", the NCW said such crimes constitute a serious violation of children's rights and raise questions about society's security system.
