Following a three-day visit to the Gaza Strip, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban expressed deep concern about the deteriorating humanitarian situation. He emphasized that since his last visit, the situation has worsened, with the Gaza Strip now described as the most dangerous place in the world for children.
Of the nearly 25,000 reported casualties since the escalation in hostilities, up to 70% are reported to be women and children. Chaiban emphasized the urgent need to cease the killing of children immediately, characterizing the current conditions as a “war on children.”
During his visit, Chaiban encountered harrowing cases, including an 11-year-old girl named Sama, who was injured by shrapnel during a bombardment, requiring surgery to remove her spleen. Another case was 13-year-old Ibrahim, who lost his arm due to an infection from a damaged hand after a shelter collapsed around him.
The humanitarian crisis has resulted in over 1.9 million people, nearly 85% of Gaza’s population, being displaced, with many enduring inhumane conditions in makeshift shelters. The scarcity of water, poor sanitation, and inadequate food supplies have led to thousands of children suffering from malnutrition and illness.
Chaiban called attention to the urgent need for a cessation of hostilities, access to life-saving medical treatment, and the provision of essential humanitarian aid to address the critical needs of the population in Gaza.
