Twenty schools participated in the rally, organizers said. The children presented a letter to a UN representative calling on the world body to take action.

The pupils held aloft pictures of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and of some of the children killed in Gaza during Israeli land and air strikes over the weekend.

"Where are children's rights?" asked one banner carried by the demonstrators, some of whom wore Palestinian-style chequered headscarves.

"USA and Israel, the same face of terror," read another.

The demonstration came after an estimated 116 people, most of them militants but including women and children, died in Israeli army raids since last Wednesday.

"I came here to encourage the kids in Gaza," said eight-year-old Rawan.

Tens of demonstrations also took place in Palestinian refugee camps throughout southern Lebanon on Monday.

Hundreds of Palestinian students took part in Hamas-organized demonstrations in the Rashidiyeh, Bourj al-Shemali and Al-Bass camps, near the southern port city of Tyre.

Demonstrators in the Bass camp set ablaze portraits of US President George W. Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, while others burnt US and Israeli flags.

"Ban Ki-moon, do you feel with Gaza's children?" one banner read, referring to the UN chief. "Palestine's children want protection and safety."

AFP