A few days ago, as I watched the majestic funeral processions of the martyrs of resistance in the media, my heart ached at the sight of the small coffins—coffins so tiny that just one person could carry them. These were the innocent children who, like their peers in Gaza, were martyred with heartbreaking innocence.
From 5-year-old Seyed Ali Sadati Armaki, whose father was among Iran’s scientific elites, to 3-year-old Zahra Barzegar, who was martyred alongside her mother, Dr. Marzieh Askari, a pediatric specialist, in the attacks by the Zionist regime—a regime that claimed its targets were only military sites but, contrary to its claims, bombed hospitals, ambulances, residential homes, and the dreams of innocent people.
The ruins of Shahid Chamran town, with 60 martyrs; the missile strike on Hakim Children’s Hospital; the martyrdom of 12 members of a single family in Ashrafieh; and several pregnant women awaiting the birth of their children—these were just some of the crimes committed by the Zionist regime. According to Fatemeh Mohajerani, the government spokesperson, 72 women and children lost their lives in these attacks, including four pregnant women who were martyred along with their unborn babies. Meanwhile, Asghar Jahangir, spokesperson for the judiciary, reported that 935 martyrs had been identified, including 38 children and 102 women, some of whom were pregnant.
When the Mask of Lies Falls From the Faces of Criminals
“79 martyrs in the Zionist attack on Evin Prison,” “indirect damage to seven hospitals by the occupying regime,” “targeting of 11 ambulances and six health centers,” and “injuries to 185 women in the regime’s attacks”—while the Zionist regime claimed in its statements that its strikes were only against military targets, these incidents are clear evidence of its aggression against civilians.
The Fourth Geneva Convention, also known as the “Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War,” is one of the most important documents in international humanitarian law. Maryam Ashrafi Goodarzi, an activist in women and family affairs, referring to the Geneva Convention, stated: “The Fourth Geneva Convention establishes laws aimed at ensuring social security, explicitly stating that civilians must be specially protected and should never be harmed in conflicts. Yet, we see that Israel has never adhered to these principles.”
These violations are not just a blatant breach of international law but also a sign of Israel’s disregard for the most basic human principles. Ashrafi Goodarzi added: “In this war, when we defended ourselves, our attacks were strictly regulated, targeting only strategic and sensitive enemy locations within the framework of confrontation and defense. We repeatedly warned residents of occupied territories to evacuate. These actions prove that we have followed the rules of war.”
Zionist Regime’s Crimes Undermine Its Officials’ Claims
The principle of distinction, outlined in Article 48 of the Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions, is a fundamental rule of international humanitarian law, emphasizing that parties to a conflict must distinguish between military and civilian targets. Ashrafi Goodarzi stressed that women and children are the most vulnerable in society and must be kept away from wars. She noted that Israel has never adhered to ethical standards, committing the worst atrocities against the most vulnerable in Gaza.
Silence in the Face of Massacring the Most Vulnerable
Israel, long recognized as a symbol of child-killing in the world, targeted the most innocent and defenseless people in this 12-day war—a tragedy met with silence from international institutions. Ashrafi Goodarzi remarked: “Today, the international system shows high sensitivity toward issues like sex workers—a fundamentally immoral issue in our view—yet remains silent in the face of this war, just as it has remained silent regarding the people of Gaza.”
Jamejam Online