Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
Nearly 26,000 children, representing over 2% of Gaza's child population, have suffered either death or injury amidst a war that has severely compromised the region's healthcare and education systems, Save the Children said in a recent statement.
Since the outbreak of hostilities on October 7, following deadly attacks that claimed the lives of 33 children, the situation has escalated rapidly. Official figures from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Ministry of Health in Gaza paint a grim picture: over 13,800 children have been killed in Gaza, with an additional 113 in the West Bank.
Injuries too have surged, with more than 12,009 children in Gaza and at least 725 in the West Bank affected, Save the Children reported, adding that UNICEF's distressing statistics further reveal that at least 1,000 children have undergone amputations.
"Over 180 days of violence have rendered Gaza unrecognisable and killed or injured over 2% of Gaza's child population. Those who have survived so far have dwindling chances of continuing to do so. This war is not only destroying Gaza but also the fundamental tenets of childhood," said Xavier Joubert, Save the Children Country Director in the occupied Palestinian territory, in a statement.
The conflict has wrought havoc on Gaza's healthcare infrastructure. Israeli forces' strikes on ambulances, medical aid convoys, and access roads have crippled Gaza's health system. The two-week siege of Al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza's largest medical facility, epitomises the crisis, leaving it in ruins and further diminishing the healthcare lifelines for the region's children, Save the Children reported.
The assault on education is equally catastrophic. All formal education has been suspended since October, affecting 625,000 registered students. The relentless bombardment has damaged or destroyed nearly 90% of school buildings, killing approximately 261 teachers and converting schools into shelters for 1.4 million people. This destruction not only violates children's rights but threatens to have a lasting impact on their education, the NGO added.
Moreover, the war has inflicted profound psychological trauma on Gaza's children. The pervasive fear, loss, and dire living conditions are causing significant mental health issues, with many children struggling to envision a future beyond survival.
The war in Gaza is among the most deadly and destructive in recent memory, with a significant toll on children's lives and well-being, the organisation said.
Joubert, emphasised the urgent need for a ceasefire and humanitarian access to halt the destruction and offer a semblance of hope for Gaza's children, calling on the international community to act swiftly to prevent further loss of life and to ensure a future for the children of Gaza.
"The world must act now to ensure an immediate and definitive ceasefire and unfettered humanitarian access to end the horrifying destruction of life in Gaza. As with all children, we owe children in Gaza a dignified future - but at this rate, they are at risk of having no future at all," he said.
