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According to the Atlanta Journal and Constitution (April 12, 2004), since September 2000, there have been 31 suicide bombings carried out by children under 18, and an additional 40 young bombers were arrested before they could explode themselves.
Terrorist organizations exploit the innocent look of children and teenagers, which does not arouse suspicion and enables them to blend into populated areas. In addition, these children and teenagers, who have not yet reached adulthood, are more susceptible to the idea that they will enjoy a life of happiness after death.
In June 2002, Palestinian TV screened a movie entitled "Children who Love the Homeland and the Martyr's Death." Dr. Fadel Abu Hin, a psychologist, speaks of the evolving phenomenon of children's involvement in the intifada. He produced a poll of 1,000 Gaza teenagers between age 9-16: 49% claimed to have taken an active part in the intifada and 73% expressed the desire to be a "shahid" (martyr).
During the interview the anchorwoman stated, "The hearts of the Palestinian children are filled not only with anxiety and fear, but also with a strong will to achieve 'Shouhad'a (martyrdom)... Shouhada has become the greatest aspiration for many children who believe that this is the way to win prestige, and to be immortalized among their people."
CHILD SUICIDE ATTACKS
▪ November 2004: Amer al-Fahr, age 16, blew himself up in an outdoor Tel Aviv market, killing 3 Israelis and wounding 32. Far's father told Agence France-Presse: "I was asleep this morning when Amr woke me up. He kissed me and asked for two shekels," about 45 cents. "He left the house and I went back to sleep." Far's mother said: "It's immoral to send someone so young. They should have sent an adult who understands the meaning of his deeds." Security officials believe that the bomber crossed into Israel in a place where a security barrier is not yet built, and that he was diverted from Jerusalem and sought the softer target of the Carmel market, which does not require shoppers to pass through security checks.
▪ January 2004: Iyad Bilal al-Masri, a 17-year-old high school student from Nablus, blew himself up near an Israeli army post east of Qalqilya. The soldiers were not injured. The Fatah/al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed joint responsibility for the bombing. The youngster was sent wearing an explosive belt to carry out a suicide attack inside Israel. He lost his way, spotted the Israeli soldiers, and prematurely detonated the bomb, possibly out of panic.
▪ August 2003: Khamais Gerwan, 17, carried out a suicide bombing at a bus stop near the West Bank settlement of Ariel, killing 2 Israelis.
▪ August 2003: Islam Qteishat, 17, blew himself up inside a supermarket in Rosh HaAyin, killing one Israeli and wounding 8 others.
▪ March 2003: Sabih al-Saoud, 17, blew himself up near Qalqilya; no one else was injured in the explosion. The teenager was wearing a belt packed with explosives, and had started running toward soldiers before blowing himself up. He had been tracked by police for several hours as a heightened state of alert was imposed to the north of Tel Aviv.
▪ June 2002: Hazem Atta Yousef, age 17, carried out a suicide attack at a falafel stand on Nevi'im Street in Jerusalem, as a result of which 5 people were injured. Hazem was a student at the Talita Kumi high school, a private Christian-Lutheran school in Beit Jala. Yousef noticed two police officers, and ran to the entrance of the falafel stand where he detonated the explosive charge he carried on his body.
▪ June 2002: Hamza Samudi, carried out suicide attack near the Mejiddo junction.
▪ June 2002: Saed Wadah Awawda, age 17, carried out a terrorist attack at the hitchhiking stop in the French Hill neighborhood of Jerusalem, killing 7 civilians and wounding 37.
▪ May 2002: Issa Badir, age 17, carried out a suicide attack in a park in Rishon Lezion in which two Israelis were killed and over 30 injured.
▪ March 2002: Ayat al-Akhras, age 17, walked into a Jerusalem supermarket and detonated a bomb concealed under her clothing, killing 3 Israelis and wounding 22 others.
▪ March 2002: Jamil Khalaf Moustafa Hamid, age 16 from Bethlehem, perpetrated the suicide attack at the Magen David Adom station in Efrat. Six Israeli civilians were injured in the attack.
▪ March 2002: Muhammad Daraghmeh, age 17, killed 11 Israelis (including 5 children) and wounded 50 people, when he carried out a suicide attack for the al-Aqsa Brigades in an orthodox neighborhood of Jerusalem.
▪ January 2002: Safwat Rahman, age 17 from Nablus, carried out a suicide attack near the old central bus station in Tel Aviv, wounding 23 people.
▪ October 2001: Ahmed Abd-El Mounem Ahmed Daraghma, age 17, carried out a suicide attack at the entrance to Kibbutz Sheluhot, killing one Israeli.
Terrorist organizations exploit the innocent look of children and teenagers, which does not arouse suspicion and enables them to blend into populated areas. In addition, these children and teenagers, who have not yet reached adulthood, are more susceptible to the idea that they will enjoy a life of happiness after death.
In June 2002, Palestinian TV screened a movie entitled "Children who Love the Homeland and the Martyr's Death." Dr. Fadel Abu Hin, a psychologist, speaks of the evolving phenomenon of children's involvement in the intifada. He produced a poll of 1,000 Gaza teenagers between age 9-16: 49% claimed to have taken an active part in the intifada and 73% expressed the desire to be a "shahid" (martyr).
During the interview the anchorwoman stated, "The hearts of the Palestinian children are filled not only with anxiety and fear, but also with a strong will to achieve 'Shouhad'a (martyrdom)... Shouhada has become the greatest aspiration for many children who believe that this is the way to win prestige, and to be immortalized among their people."
CHILD SUICIDE ATTACKS
▪ November 2004: Amer al-Fahr, age 16, blew himself up in an outdoor Tel Aviv market, killing 3 Israelis and wounding 32. Far's father told Agence France-Presse: "I was asleep this morning when Amr woke me up. He kissed me and asked for two shekels," about 45 cents. "He left the house and I went back to sleep." Far's mother said: "It's immoral to send someone so young. They should have sent an adult who understands the meaning of his deeds." Security officials believe that the bomber crossed into Israel in a place where a security barrier is not yet built, and that he was diverted from Jerusalem and sought the softer target of the Carmel market, which does not require shoppers to pass through security checks.
▪ January 2004: Iyad Bilal al-Masri, a 17-year-old high school student from Nablus, blew himself up near an Israeli army post east of Qalqilya. The soldiers were not injured. The Fatah/al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed joint responsibility for the bombing. The youngster was sent wearing an explosive belt to carry out a suicide attack inside Israel. He lost his way, spotted the Israeli soldiers, and prematurely detonated the bomb, possibly out of panic.
▪ August 2003: Khamais Gerwan, 17, carried out a suicide bombing at a bus stop near the West Bank settlement of Ariel, killing 2 Israelis.
▪ August 2003: Islam Qteishat, 17, blew himself up inside a supermarket in Rosh HaAyin, killing one Israeli and wounding 8 others.
▪ March 2003: Sabih al-Saoud, 17, blew himself up near Qalqilya; no one else was injured in the explosion. The teenager was wearing a belt packed with explosives, and had started running toward soldiers before blowing himself up. He had been tracked by police for several hours as a heightened state of alert was imposed to the north of Tel Aviv.
▪ June 2002: Hazem Atta Yousef, age 17, carried out a suicide attack at a falafel stand on Nevi'im Street in Jerusalem, as a result of which 5 people were injured. Hazem was a student at the Talita Kumi high school, a private Christian-Lutheran school in Beit Jala. Yousef noticed two police officers, and ran to the entrance of the falafel stand where he detonated the explosive charge he carried on his body.
▪ June 2002: Hamza Samudi, carried out suicide attack near the Mejiddo junction.
▪ June 2002: Saed Wadah Awawda, age 17, carried out a terrorist attack at the hitchhiking stop in the French Hill neighborhood of Jerusalem, killing 7 civilians and wounding 37.
▪ May 2002: Issa Badir, age 17, carried out a suicide attack in a park in Rishon Lezion in which two Israelis were killed and over 30 injured.
▪ March 2002: Ayat al-Akhras, age 17, walked into a Jerusalem supermarket and detonated a bomb concealed under her clothing, killing 3 Israelis and wounding 22 others.
▪ March 2002: Jamil Khalaf Moustafa Hamid, age 16 from Bethlehem, perpetrated the suicide attack at the Magen David Adom station in Efrat. Six Israeli civilians were injured in the attack.
▪ March 2002: Muhammad Daraghmeh, age 17, killed 11 Israelis (including 5 children) and wounded 50 people, when he carried out a suicide attack for the al-Aqsa Brigades in an orthodox neighborhood of Jerusalem.
▪ January 2002: Safwat Rahman, age 17 from Nablus, carried out a suicide attack near the old central bus station in Tel Aviv, wounding 23 people.
▪ October 2001: Ahmed Abd-El Mounem Ahmed Daraghma, age 17, carried out a suicide attack at the entrance to Kibbutz Sheluhot, killing one Israeli.
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