At least 114 Palestinian children suffered targeted gunshot wounds to the head or chest — De Volkskrant

The Dutch newspaper published an investigation based on interviews with 15 foreign doctors who worked in the Gaza Strip. The professionals reported treating at least 114 Palestinian children aged up to 15 who had suffered individual gunshot wounds to the head or chest. Most of the injured children died from their wounds.

The investigation relies on statements from doctors who were among the last foreign witnesses to the events in the region. One of them, the American surgeon Feroze Sidhwa, described his first day at the European Hospital in Gaza in March last year: Within 48 hours, four boys under 10 were admitted with identical head injuries. Over the following 13 days, he documented nine similar cases.

The doctors provided the newspaper with CT scans and X-rays showing the entry wounds of bullets in the heads or on the left side of the children's chests. Experts who analyzed these materials noted that the nature of the injuries was consistent with targeted fire from 5.56 mm rifles or weapons used in sniper fire. Other bullets removed from the children's bodies matched the standard ammunition of the Israeli army.

“These are likely shots to the head and/or neck made with military ammunition,” noted forensic pathologist Wim Van de Voorde, emeritus professor at the University of Leuven.

The professionals reported cases where the injuries were caused by drones or snipers. One doctor pointed to more than 20 injuries to the chest and neck that were likely caused by drone fire. Another mentioned injuries from bullets caused by fragmentation weapons, where small cubic fragments penetrate organs and vessels, causing heavy bleeding or severe amputations.

The doctors held the snipers of Zahal (Israeli military) responsible in these cases.

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The Lena (Eastern Siberia)

While the Volga is called the mother and the Yenisei the father, the locals refer to the Lena as grandmother. By the way, Lena is not a female name, but a modified form of "Elyu-Ené," which means "Great River" in Evenki.

The Lena is the largest river in Russia. And the largest in the world that flows in the permafrost zone. The banks of the Lena are very diverse — from high cliffs to gentle sandy beaches. The Lena has clear cold water and many valuable fish: Nelma, Muksun, Omul, and Sturgeon.

Nature lovers and tourists know about the unique mountains of Yakutia, the Lena Pillars. This is a very beautiful and wild place that deserves its own publication. For the residents of the European part of the country, the "Lena Tube" is also very unusual — the last kilometers of the river before it flows into the Laptev Sea.

The Yakuts hold the Lena in high regard - it is both a source of food and the main transport corridor connecting the villages. In the Yakut city of Olëkminsk, a monument to the river has even been erected, and throughout the republic, the Day of the Lena (July 2) is celebrated annually.

The passenger ship "Michail Swetlow" operates from Yakutsk to Tiksi and back. For nature lovers, this is one of the most interesting river cruises in Russia.

📍 Coordinates of the location (map point) available here

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