Nearly 1mln children in Gaza facing winter without basic needs: UN

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
7 Dec 2024 10:33
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UNICEF expresses deep concern over the “catastrophic and horrible situation” Palestinian children are facing in the Israeli-besieged northern Gaza.

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Palestinian children stand at their window as they inspect the damage after an Israeli strike on the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, on December 7, 2024. (AFP)

The United Nations called Friday for the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, highlighting the worsening conditions faced by over half a million Palestinians as winter approaches.

"As winter sets in, some 545,000 people in Gaza are living in damaged buildings and makeshift shelters, underscoring the urgency of ensuring that thousands of tarpaulins and repair materials can be safely brought into the Strip without delay," UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric stated during a press briefing.

Dujarric also referenced the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), noting that 50 trucks loaded with essential supplies—such as blankets, generators, medicines, and surgical equipment—have been stranded at the Egyptian border for weeks.

It is noteworthy that the Israeli occupation military maintains control over the entry of goods into Gaza through the Rafah crossing at the Palestinian-Egyptian border.

"Many of these trucks have been delayed for more than 50 days," Dujarric highlighted, emphasizing that the UN and its partners continue to appeal for the safe passage of humanitarian aid into Gaza as the suffering across the Strip intensifies.

Meanwhile, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell highlighted the plight of Gaza’s children. "Nearly one million children in Gaza are facing another winter without basic shelter, food, water and protection," she noted.

"The suffering of all children caught in this nightmare must stop," she underlined, stressing, "Children need a ceasefire. Now."

UNICEF warns of ‘catastrophic’ situation of northern Gaza children

UNICEF has expressed deep concern over the “catastrophic and horrible situation” Palestinian children in the Israeli-besieged northern Gaza are facing.

UNICEF’s spokesperson for Gaza, Tess Ingram, described the ongoing Israeli offensive and blockade as not only exposing children to extreme violence but also driving them into increasingly desperate conditions.

She highlighted the collapse of the medical system, which has left children without access to critical care and treatment. Ingram lamented the shutdown of Kamal Adwan Hospital, one of the last operational health facilities in the northern region, due to relentless Israeli attacks.

"The injured children were brought to Kamal Adwan Hospital following back-to-back explosions, but with little to no aid reaching to the health facility," she said.

Gaza’s Civil Defense reported that nearly 30 Palestinians, including many women and children, were killed when Israeli warplanes struck areas near Kamal Adwan Hospital on Friday. Among the martyrs were at least four doctors, killed when Israeli forces targeted and stormed the hospital compound.

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that the attack occurred without any prior warning.

The Hamas movement has called for the establishment of an international committee to investigate "Israel’s" deliberate targeting of hospitals and medical facilities across the Strip.

Ingram further emphasized that children’s lives are at risk not only from violence but also from deteriorating living conditions. As winter sets in, families in Gaza are resorting to burning waste and plastics for warmth, she said.

"Our colleagues witnessed children scavenging for food and collecting plastic materials to warm themselves."