According to UNICEF, more than 80% of children in Gaza are experiencing severe food shortages and more than two-thirds of hospitals are no longer functioning due to lack of fuel, water and essential medical supplies.
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| The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) predicts that at least 10,000 children under the age of five in Gaza will face life-threatening malnutrition at its highest level in the coming weeks. |
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) predicts that at least 10,000 children under the age of five in Gaza will face life-threatening malnutrition at its highest level in the coming weeks.
“This unacceptable risk comes at a time when Gaza’s food and health systems are facing total collapse,” UNICEF said in a statement.
More than 80% of children are experiencing severe food shortages and more than two-thirds of hospitals are no longer functioning due to lack of fuel, water and essential medical supplies or because they have suffered catastrophic damage in attacks.”
“We call on all parties to immediately and fully respect international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction and proportionality, and to take all necessary precautions to protect civilians, release all hostages and fulfil their obligations to ensure children are protected and assisted,” the statement said.
In late October, UNICEF released a report documenting that more than 400 children are killed or injured in the Gaza Strip every day. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a child dies every 10 minutes in Gaza.
On the same day, Al Jazeera TV channel reported that dozens of people, including children, were killed in Israeli army attacks on the Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza.
According to Al Jazeera, rocket and artillery attacks on buildings on the night of December 22 and early morning of December 23 (local time) by Israel caused civilian casualties.
Shelling has prevented rescue and medical staff from providing timely assistance to the injured.
In a related development, CNN quoted senior US officials as saying that Israel had offered a one-week ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in exchange for about 35 hostages held by the Hamas Islamist movement in the area.
According to US officials, the group of hostages would include women, elderly people and the remaining injured men. However, CNN did not specify the response of Hamas representatives to this proposal.
Earlier this week, Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced that the Jewish state was ready to implement another humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and increase humanitarian aid to the people of this land to ensure the release of hostages held by Hamas.
(according to TASS)
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