Scores of Innocents Caught in Crossfire: Gaza's Child Toll Mounts Amid Ceasefire
Since a fragile ceasefire agreement took hold last month, at least 67 Palestinian children have lost their lives in the Gaza Strip, according to UNICEF. The devastating toll is a stark reminder of the ongoing humanitarian crisis gripping the territory.
In one harrowing incident, an Israeli air strike on a home in Khan Younis's southern region killed a baby girl, while seven other children were also slain the day before in another wave of attacks by Israel across the enclave.
"This is during an agreed ceasefire. The pattern is staggering," said Ricardo Pires, a UNICEF spokesperson, describing the death toll since October 11, the first full day of the truce between Israel and Hamas. "Each was a child with a family, a dream, a life – suddenly cut short by continued violence."
Palestinian children have borne the brunt of Israeli bombardment in Gaza, with UNICEF estimating that over 64,000 youngsters have been killed or injured since the war began in October 2023.
The situation is dire, with Save the Children reporting an average of 475 Palestinian children each month suffering lifelong disabilities due to the conflict. In addition, hundreds of thousands of children are living without basic necessities like heating and blankets in makeshift shelters.
Gaza has become home to a record number of child amputees, and the humanitarian crisis is being exacerbated by Israel's use of starvation as a weapon of war, leading to hunger-related deaths among vulnerable children.
The latest wave of Israeli strikes, which killed at least 32 Palestinians, was rejected by Hamas as an escalation aimed at resuming a "genocide" in Gaza. Doctors Without Borders reported treating several Palestinian women and children with severe injuries due to the attacks.
As winter sets in, Gaza's child population is facing a heightened threat multiplier, with many sleeping outdoors and trembling with fear in their makeshift shelters. UNICEF's Pires urged more assistance to be allowed into the territory, warning that the world cannot continue to normalize the suffering of these innocent children.
The scale of this humanitarian crisis demands immediate attention from the international community, as these innocent children are being forced to endure unimaginable hardships and trauma.
Since a fragile ceasefire agreement took hold last month, at least 67 Palestinian children have lost their lives in the Gaza Strip, according to UNICEF. The devastating toll is a stark reminder of the ongoing humanitarian crisis gripping the territory.
In one harrowing incident, an Israeli air strike on a home in Khan Younis's southern region killed a baby girl, while seven other children were also slain the day before in another wave of attacks by Israel across the enclave.
"This is during an agreed ceasefire. The pattern is staggering," said Ricardo Pires, a UNICEF spokesperson, describing the death toll since October 11, the first full day of the truce between Israel and Hamas. "Each was a child with a family, a dream, a life – suddenly cut short by continued violence."
Palestinian children have borne the brunt of Israeli bombardment in Gaza, with UNICEF estimating that over 64,000 youngsters have been killed or injured since the war began in October 2023.
The situation is dire, with Save the Children reporting an average of 475 Palestinian children each month suffering lifelong disabilities due to the conflict. In addition, hundreds of thousands of children are living without basic necessities like heating and blankets in makeshift shelters.
Gaza has become home to a record number of child amputees, and the humanitarian crisis is being exacerbated by Israel's use of starvation as a weapon of war, leading to hunger-related deaths among vulnerable children.
The latest wave of Israeli strikes, which killed at least 32 Palestinians, was rejected by Hamas as an escalation aimed at resuming a "genocide" in Gaza. Doctors Without Borders reported treating several Palestinian women and children with severe injuries due to the attacks.
As winter sets in, Gaza's child population is facing a heightened threat multiplier, with many sleeping outdoors and trembling with fear in their makeshift shelters. UNICEF's Pires urged more assistance to be allowed into the territory, warning that the world cannot continue to normalize the suffering of these innocent children.
The scale of this humanitarian crisis demands immediate attention from the international community, as these innocent children are being forced to endure unimaginable hardships and trauma.