More than 350 Palestinian children in Israeli jails: Where are human rights organizations?
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*Ramallah, occupied West Bank -* Omar and Ayham are among more than 350 Palestinian children who are currently in Israeli lockup, according to a joint statement recently published by the Palestinian Committee for Prisoners Affairs.
Omar al-Rimawi has not been home since he was arrested by Israeli troops more than two years ago, but his photos line the walls of the halls and rooms of his home.
Although just 16 years old now, Omar could be sentenced to life in prison stemming from his arrest on February 18, 2016.
Samir Mahmoud al-Rimawi, Omar's 49-year-old father, and Lana, his mother, have attended more than 40 court sessions in that time.
Sitting with Omar's siblings in their home, Samir and Lana struggle to hold back tears as they recall the painful details of their son's imprisonment.
Coming back from yet another court hearing, they had no new information for Omar's brothers and sisters.
Omar is a bright boy, was a model student at an upscale private school in Ramallah, and he excelled in football, swimming and karate, his parents tell Al Jazeera. His family dreamed that he would one day become a doctor.
Samir recalls the fateful evening when he learned of Omar's arrest.
On that night, his son was meant to be attending an English-language course, but Samir received a shocking phone call from Israeli intelligence demanding that he come to the interrogation centre where Omar was being held at the Qalandia checkpoint between Jerusalem and Ramallah.
The voice on the other end of the phone did not explain why Samir was being summoned, but within a few minutes, he learned from Israeli media reports that Omar and his friend Ayman al-Sabah, both of whom were 14 at the time, had been shot at a Rami Levy supermarket near Ramallah.
The boys were accused of carrying out a deadly stabbing attack.
Israel's widespread arrests and imprisonment of Palestinian children have been condemned by human rights groups and watchdogs.
Omar and Ayham are among more than 350 Palestinian children who are currently in Israeli lockup, according to a joint statement recently published by the Palestinian Committee for Prisoners Affairs.
