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Gaza crisis delaying case of murdered child

The Local Sweden
The Local Sweden - [email protected]
Gaza crisis delaying case of murdered child
Protesters gather in Malmö for a pro-Gaza demonstration on July 26th 2014. Stig-Åke Jönsson / TT

The ongoing conflict in the middle east is delaying the investigation into the death of an 8-year-old girl who was found dead in Sweden in May. Meanwhile, over a 1,000 people attended a pro-Gaza march in Malmö.

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On May 1st the girl, called Yara by the Swedish media, was discovered in a grievous condition at an apartment in Landskrona. She subsequently died in hospital and her two guardians have since been remanded on suspicion of murdering the 8-year-old. 

The deceased girl came to Sweden by herself last year while her parents remained in Gaza. Police are eager to speak to her mother who remains in the conflict zone.

A police officer, three lawyers and an interpreter were all set to make the trip before the crisis began.

"As long as the war is ongoing then it is not understood (what happened)," said Mats Dahlén, detective inspector with the Blekinge police to the Blekinge Läns Tidning newspaper.

The girl's uncle and his wife have since been arrested on suspicion of murder. Police in southern Sweden are also being investigated on charges of suspected misconduct for failing to act on a report that the child was being abused at home.

In Malmö on Saturday over a thousand people gathered to protest about the conflict in Gaza. The demonstration began in the afternoon as people marched through the 30C heat chanting "boycott Israel" and "we don't need words, we need action."

IN PICTURES: 2,000 people in Stockholm demonstrate against Israel

Large cheers were reserved for the speakers who criticized the actions of Swedish politicians in connection with the conflict.

One demonstrator said that social media was having a major impact on how the crisis is being reported.

"The protests are more intense. I think that social media plays a role. People have mobile phones and can record what happens in Gaza and send it in the space of a second," Eham Taha told the TT news agency.

Social Democrat leader Stefan Löfven has called for a ceasefire in the region, saying that the conflict calls for UN intervention.

"The suffering that we've seen is terrible. The number of deaths is increasing all the time," Löfven told Aftonbladet.

He added; "In order for both parties to feel secure in a lasting ceasefire a UN led effort, with a physical presence on the ground, should be one of several means of action."

Hostilities resumed in the region on Saturday after a brief truce. BBC news reported that more than 1,000 Palestinians and 46 Israelis have been killed so far.  

TT/The Local/pr

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