130,000 Gaza children under 10 deprived of food, medicine amid siege

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Save The Children
25 Nov 2024 14:56
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Children living in North Gaza and Gaza governates, as per Save The Children, are facing the looming threat of famine, with the independent Famine Review Committee warning that the situation could be dire.

Palestinian children crying while holding the body of their mother who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, in November 2023 (AP)

Around 130,000 children under 10 in northern Gaza have been besieged for 50 days without access to food, water, or medical supplies, following "Israel's" declaration of the area as a "closed military zone" on October 6, 2024, Save the Children reported.

These children, as per the children's advocacy group, are also facing the looming threat of famine, with the independent Famine Review Committee warning that the situation could be dire.

Humanitarian efforts have been hindered by the refusal of Israeli forces to allow aid groups access to northern Gaza, leaving Save the Children unable to deliver essential supplies like food parcels, hygiene kits, and other aid materials for thousands of families.

The advocacy group had previously supported 15,000 children and families in the area, providing food, hygiene kits, and psychosocial support before the blockade.

10,000 children missing out on vaccination

Medical assistance has also been cut off, and recent polio vaccination campaigns in northern Gaza were significantly impacted, with around 10,000 children missing out on vaccination. Despite the grave situation, Save the Children continues to call for urgent access to deliver aid to the affected population.

Save the Children’s Regional Director, Jeremy Stoner, stated, "The situation in northern Gaza is not fit for human survival... Humanitarian aid to Gaza has hit an all-time low... Safe humanitarian access must be granted immediately."

The report also highlighted the devastating toll on children, with more than 40% of the casualties from the ongoing Israeli war being children, particularly those between the ages of 5 and 9. "These are children who should be learning to read and ride bikes. They should not be ending up in mortuaries," Stoner added.

The UN Human Rights Office has raised concerns over the potential destruction of the population in Gaza’s northernmost governorate, particularly regarding the entry of essential supplies. The Children's advocacy group continues to advocate for immediate, unrestricted humanitarian access to ensure lifesaving aid reaches children in desperate need.