UNICEF has voiced deep concern over the devastating toll on children in Gaza, with at least 2,360 children reported killed in Israeli air raids since October 7.
Adele Khodr, the regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, emphasized the severity of the situation, describing it as a “growing stain on our collective conscience.”
The rate of death and injuries among children is deemed staggering, raising profound worries about the escalating crisis.
Khodr expressed the fear that unless tensions are eased and humanitarian aid is allowed, the daily toll on children will continue to rise in Gaza.
The dire conditions in the region have prompted UNICEF to call for immediate action to address the humanitarian crisis and protect the lives of vulnerable children.
The West Bank has also witnessed a distressing surge in casualties, with nearly a hundred Palestinians, including 28 children, reported to have lost their lives.
Additionally, at least 160 children in the West Bank have sustained injuries. Even before the tragic events of October 7, 2023, children in the West Bank were already grappling with the highest levels of conflict-related violence in two decades.
This has resulted in the loss of 41 Palestinian children and six Israeli children’s lives this year alone.
UNICEF’s statement underscores the urgent need for international intervention to protect the well-being of children and alleviate the humanitarian crisis in the region.
