Hamas has lauded a joint statement by three United Nations officials calling for an immediate release of Palestinian children from Israeli prisons amid the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a press release, Hamas spokesperson Abdel Latif al-Qanou called on human rights groups and international humanitarian and health organisations to place pressure on the Israeli occupation to release Palestinian children imprisoned in its jails.

Al-Qanou held the Israeli occupation fully responsible for the lives and safety of Palestinian detainees and for its failure to heed calls by the UN and human rights and humanitarian groups to release them amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

Among the nearly 5,000 Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons, the Israeli occupation is holding 180 Palestinian children in its jails.