May 29, 2026

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira on May 27 emphasized the importance of international cooperation in bringing an end to Israel’s military operations and providing physical and mental care for children in the Gaza Strip.

A general meeting of the cross-party parliamentary league for humanitarian diplomacy, of which Koike is vice chair, took place in the Diet building. JCP Policy Commission Chair Yamazoe Taku also attended the meeting.

Noting that children in Gaza have been growing up knowing nothing but war since 2007, Koike voiced his concern that this could pose a serious challenge to the resolution of the Palestinian issue in the future. He added, “It is necessary not only to end Israel’s military operations there, but also to provide these children with adequate care with the cooperation of the international community.”

Nekozuka Yoshio, head of a “volunteer medical service group for Palestine” in Hokkaido, reported on the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

Nekozuka, an orthopedic surgeon, stated that for children under the age of 15 in the Gaza Strip, “the fear of having their lives taken away has been a constant reality.” He also expressed concern about the children’s debilitating PTSD. Dr Nekozuka reported that the area’s educational environment is poor, with shortages of classrooms and teachers limiting the availability of classes and the range of subjects taught.