Israeli war left nowhere safe for Gaza’s one million children: UNICEF

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
15 Nov 2023 09:06
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The chief of UNICEF visiting the Israeli-bombarded Gaza says that what she saw and heard was "devastating."

A Palestinian girl covered with dust from fallen debris holds two children after an Israeli air aggression on a residential neighberhood in Gaza City, occupied Palestine, on October 12, 2023. (AFP)

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell warned that the situation in Gaza is devastating, while the ongoing Israeli aggression has displaced over 1 million children, with many believed to be missing or buried under the debris of destroyed buildings.

Following a visit to the Strip, Russel described the horrible scenes in a statement released on the organization's website, "Today I visited the Gaza Strip to meet with children, their families and UNICEF staff. What I saw and heard was devastating. They have endured repeated bombardment, loss and displacement. Inside the Strip, there is nowhere safe for Gaza’s one million children to turn."

The situation is exacerbated by the rising number of Palestinians killed by the ongoing aggression waged by the Israeli occupation on Gaza last month, with the latest reports provided by the Ministry of Health revealing that over 11,200 civilians, including 4,600 children, have been martyred so far.

"Many children are missing and believed buried under the rubble of collapsed buildings and homes, the tragic result of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas," she said. The crisis is further deepened by the lack of medical supplies and power due to criminal blockade imposed by Israelis, leading to the death of newborns in need of specialized care.

Russell: 'Babies clinging to life in incubators'

Since the weekend, three out of 39 premature babies have tragically passed away as al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza's largest hospital, suffered a fuel shortage for the generators sustaining their incubators.

The IOF stormed al-Shifa Hospital on Wednesday morning, committing a war crime, as it detained and handcuffed physicians and refugees while also opening fire inside the hospital.

“In the hospital’s neonatal ward, tiny babies were clinging to life in incubators, as doctors worried how they could keep the machines running without fuel," Russel added.

Russell condemned the grave Zionist violations against children, including killings, maimings, abductions, attacks on schools and hospitals, and denial of humanitarian access.

Supplies being allowed 'insufficient'

Since the start of the war on the Strip, Israelis have enforced a full block on the access of fuel, while allowing the entry of a tiny, insufficient fraction of the population's basic needs in food and water and medical supplies.

“The intermittent opening of Gaza’s border crossings to shipments of humanitarian supplies is insufficient to meet the skyrocketing needs. And with winter around the corner, the need for fuel could become even more acute. When I left Gaza today, the rain was pounding down, adding to the misery," the head of UNICEF warned.

Additionally, the war on Gaza has severely impacted the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), with over 100 staff members killed in Israeli strikes since October.

"Many people, including our staff and their families, are now living in overcrowded shelters with very little water, food or decent sanitation," Russell stated, stressing the extreme risks humanitarian workers face in Gaza.

IOF stormed al-Shifa Hospital

Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported that Israeli occupation forces raided on Wednesday morning parts of Al Shifa Hospital and opened fire indiscriminately toward its windows and sections, adding that the occupation has cut off all communications to the hospital. Dozens of Israeli occupation soldiers also stormed the facility's emergency department.

The Director-General of Hospitals in Gaza, Mohammad Zaqout, told Al Mayadeen that Israeli occupation forces targeted al-Shifa Hospital with several airstrikes, stormed the emergency department, and assaulted patients.

Our correspondent reported that several people were killed and injured in the Israeli attack.

The Government Media Office held the Israeli occupation, the international community, and the United States responsible for the safety of thousands of medical personnel, wounded individuals, and displaced persons, warning of another Israeli massacre.