37 children whose parents were recently killed in the Israel-Gaza conflict have been prevented by Hamas from visiting Israel on a trip organised by peace activists.The children, between 12 and 15 years of age and accompanied by five adults, were turned back at the Erez crossing. Hamas said they would have had to visit "settlements and occupied towns".
The visit, organized by the charity Candle for Peace and Arab-Israeli officials, and kibbutz leaders would have taken the children to Arab towns in Israel, southern areas targeted by militants' rockets, a mixed-race school and the beach in Tel Aviv. A visit to Ramallah to meet Mahmoud Abbas was also planned.
Hamas said the cancellation was justified to protect the kids from "the politics of normalization" with Israel. Spokesman Eyad Bozum said Hamas would make sure such a trip "will never happen again".
Three weeks ago, Hamas too had given approval for the visit, according to Yoel Marshak of the Kibbutz Movement. He expressed surprise that it was blocked.