Groundxero | 30 October, 2023

The head of the UN’s children agency (Unicef), while addressing the UN’s security council on Monday, said: More than 420 children are being killed or injured in Gaza each day – a number which should shake each of us to our core.  

UN security council meet on Monday following Israel’s expanded ground operations in Gaza which Israeli Prime Minister termed as beginning of the ‘second stage’ in the war against Hamas. The United Arab Emirates has asked the UN security council to meet “as soon as possible” following Israel’s communication blackout across Gaza and launch of its expanded ground operation on Saturday.

Catherine Russell while briefing UN Security Council on humanitarian situation in Gaza said that the “true cost” of the latest escalation in Gaza will be measured in children’s lives. She added that the number is “quickly adding up” with “rampant grave violations” being committed against children. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza more than 3,400 Palestinian children have been killed and more than 6,300 children injured in Gaza since 7 October.

Addressing the UN Security Council, she said that the violence being perpetrated against children by Israeli army extends beyond the Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, at least 37 children have reportedly been killed. She also mentioned that more than 30 Israeli children have reportedly been killed by Hamas militants on 7 October, while at least 20 remain hostage in the Gaza Strip – their fates unknown.  Also, around 1700 people, including at least 940 children, are reported missing in Gaza and presumed to be dead or trapped under the rubble.

Unicef executive director said, according to the World Health Organization in Gaza, 34 attacks have been reported against health care facilities, including 21 hospitals. Twelve of Gaza’s 35 hospitals – which are also being used as shelters for displaced people – can no longer function. At least 221 schools and more than 177,000 housing units have been damaged or destroyed.

Catherine implored  the Security Council to immediately adopt a resolution that calls for a ceasefire, demands that parties allow safe and unimpeded humanitarian access, demands the immediate and safe release of all abducted children.

She said that Israel’s order for 1.1 million Palestinian civilians to leave northern Gaza and move to south should be rescinded, and Israel’s demands for hospital evacuations should also cease, given their protected status under international humanitarian law. She also said that measures to prevent electricity, food, water and fuel from entering Gaza must be immediately reversed, so that civilians can have access to the services they need to survive.

According to Save the Children, one child is now being killed every 10 minutes in Gaza. The charity organisation’s Palestine director, Jason Lee, told the BBC that out of the 20,000 civilians that had been injured in Gaza, one in three of them was a child. He said: Surgeons are doing surgeries without anaesthetic, people are using mobile phones as flashlights to have lights in health facilities.

On the other hand, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israel Prime Minister, in a press conference on Monday, has ruled out a ceasefire in Gaza, declaring “this is a time for war”. The USA’s national security council spokesperson John Kirby also ruled out any ceasefire, saying, “We believe that a ceasefire right now benefits Hamas, and Hamas is the only one that would gain from that right now.”

On last Friday, the U.N. General Assembly had voted overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian truce between Israel and Hamas, with 120 countries in favor, 14 against and 45 countries abstaining. The U.S. and Israel were among the countries that voted against the resolution. India had abstained.

Feature Image source : https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/children-gaza-israel-war