UNICEF reports more than 340 children killed in Gaza since ceasefire — Dawn

In the Gaza Strip in Palestine, more than 340 children have been killed and hundreds more injured since the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel was announced, according to the UN Children’s Fund. Dawn reports this, citing a statement by the organization.

UNICEF spokesperson Ricardo Pires told journalists in Geneva that, over the previous two weeks, the deaths of five boys and two girls had been reported in Gaza. At least 33 children sustained severe injuries as a result of airstrikes, drone strikes and gunfire. Two more boys died from injuries they had sustained earlier.

Displacement and orphanhood

UNICEF estimates that around 800,000 children in Gaza remain displaced. Most of them live in tents or damaged buildings. An estimated 60,000 children lost one or both parents during the war or after the ceasefire.

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The organization stressed that almost every child needs some form of psychological support to overcome the consequences of the conflict. “For families mourning the loss of their children, these horrific figures do not mean a ceasefire,” Pires said.

Aid and education

UNICEF called on the parties to the conflict to observe the ceasefire, implement UN Security Council Resolution 2803 and fulfill their obligations under international humanitarian law. The organization also stressed the need for uninterrupted deliveries of humanitarian and commercial cargo, including food, to Gaza.

Pires noted that before the ceasefire, supplies could not enter Gaza when UN-backed food security experts declared famine. At the same time, since the ceasefire, UNICEF has helped more than 560,000 children return to learning through more than 200 education centers it supports. The organization has also provided digital cash assistance to more than 380,000 people and supplied safe water to 1.2 million people.