New York - Saba:
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has announced that more than 50,000 children have been killed or injured in the Gaza Strip over the past 20 months, marking one of the deadliest tolls for children in contemporary conflicts.
UNRWA confirmed in a press statement on Monday that civilians, including children, humanitarian and medical workers, and journalists, continue to be killed and injured daily in Gaza, amid ongoing shelling and violent fighting.
For his part, the Regional Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for the Middle East and North Africa, Edouard Beigbeder, warned of an unprecedented escalation in the suffering of children in the Gaza Strip, confirming that more than 50,000 children have been killed or injured since October 2023.
Beigbeder described what is happening to children in the Strip as a series of "unimaginable atrocities."
He said that the horrific images captured in just 72 hours last weekend once again revealed the "unconscionable" cost of this war on children.
The Regional Director asked, "How many more girls and boys will be killed? What level of horror must be broadcast live before the international community fully intervenes?"
He called for bold and decisive international action to end this brutal killing, holding the international community responsible for its silence and stressing the need to use political influence to save lives inside the Gaza Strip.
UNICEF renewed its call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the protection of civilians and children, and respect for international humanitarian law and human rights.
Beigbeder concluded the statement by saying, "The children of Gaza need protection. They need food, water, and medicine. They need a ceasefire. But more than anything, they need immediate collective action to stop this once and for all."
Since March 2, the Israeli enemy has continued to close the Gaza Strip's crossings to the entry of food, relief, medical aid, and goods, causing a significant deterioration in the humanitarian situation of Palestinians, according to government, human rights, and international reports.
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