Support for women and children in Jenin

As part of the project "Territories protecting women victims of violence", the International Observatory on Violence against Women once again expresses its solidarity with the women and children of Jenin.

24 November 2023

On Thursday, November 9, in Jenin, in the occupied West Bank, an Israeli military operation was carried out, proving to be the most devastating since 2005 according to United Nations data. Unfortunately, this attack led to the death of at least 14 Palestinians.

In a telephone interview on the same day, Mayssoun Dawoud, Head of the Observatory of Violence against Women in Jenin, informed us about the situation on the ground, emphasizing the devastating consequences of this military operation on the daily lives of women and children.

At 3 a.m., 60 armored tanks entered the territory, cutting off all roads and means of transportation. No ambulance could come; they razed several infrastructures, including water distribution services. Then, the bulk of the force withdrew, but special forces hid in the city. It was at 9:30 a.m. that these Israeli forces began firing. It was the time to take the children to school; parents were killed trying to protect the children. There was an atmosphere of intense panic. We cannot leave our homes, for fear of being shot because they consider us suspicious.

Mayssoun Dawood Head of the Observatory for Violence against Women in Jenin

In these dramatic moments, Mayssoun Dawoud’s words highlight the need to show our solidarity.