Children play several concerning roles in Hamas’s guerrilla warfare tactics:

1. Recruitment and training:

• Hamas runs “summer camps” that provide military training to children as young as elementary school age.

• These camps reportedly train around 50,000-100,000 children and teens each year.

• Children are taught to use weapons like AK-47s, sniper rifles, RPGs, and mortars.

• They also receive training in urban warfare and tunnel fighting tactics.

1. Operational roles:

• Hamas uses children to transfer explosives and place them in ambush locations.

• Children are sent to battlefields after attacks to assess damage and report back to fighters.

• Some children are used as messengers and to deliver ammunition.

1. Human shields:

• Hamas has been accused of using children as human shields, placing them in harm’s way during conflicts.

• The group allegedly stores weapons and explosives in children’s bedrooms and kindergartens.

1. Child soldiers:

• There are reports of minors being active in the military wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

• The IDF claims over 170 minors are currently identified as terrorist operatives in Gaza.

1. Indoctrination:

• Hamas’s educational programs and camps indoctrinate children with extremist ideology from a young age.

• This includes glorifying “martyrdom” and promoting violence against Israel.

1. Propaganda:

• Images and videos of armed children are used for propaganda purposes.

• The deaths of children in conflicts are exploited to generate international outrage against Israel.

It’s important to note that the use of children in armed conflict is considered a war crime under international law. The United Nations prohibits the recruitment and use of children under 15 as soldiers, defining it as a violation of international humanitarian law.

These tactics not only put children in immediate physical danger but also have long-term psychological and developmental impacts. They represent a serious violation of children’s rights and are condemned by international organizations and human rights groups.