A video from Gaza left netizens shocked as the Israeli army shared videos of children playing with guns bigger than than themselves in the absence of Hamas police.
In a video, a group of three children seen in a sandy field carrying what appear to be larger than their sizes rifles.
In Gaza, after 15 months of conflict, the children in the video seen examining and handle the weapons, while other youngsters move about in the vicinity, retrieving items from a blue lorry’s storage compartment.
An Israeli defence representative informed The New York Post that witnessing children handling weapons instead of playthings was commonplace in Gaza.
“They were carrying it from point A to point B — no grander purpose, just children living their daily life with weapons,” the officials said.
This unsafe situation persists despite Hamas’s commitment to maintain order through police patrols in Gaza, where over 2 million refugees attempt to restore normality after 471 days of warfare and devastation.
Recovery efforts face significant challenges, with approximately 70 percent of Gaza’s infrastructure, including residences, educational facilities and medical centres, now destroyed.
Israeli authorities report that children’s access to weapons in Gaza is frequent, supporting their longstanding allegations of Hamas arming and training young individuals.
The IDF has released evidence from Hamas facilities throughout Gaza demonstrating how the organisation allegedly provides military instruction to young boys, fostering anti-Israel sentiment.
Yahya Sinwar, the deceased Hamas leader who orchestrated October 7, was documented giving presentations to children and organising anti-Jewish activities for nursery-aged children.