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UNICEF: Number of Child Casualties still rising in Gaza

by Mary Richard | January 9, 2009 at 11:51 pm

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In a statement by UNICEF late Friday, they stressed the number of children being killed and injured in the Gaza fighting continues to climb and the humanitarian situation is becoming more desperate every day.

According to figures cited by OCHA today, there have been 758 Palestinian deaths since December 27 , out of which 257 were children and 56 were women. At least, 3,100 have been injured including 1,080 children and 452 women.
"Nowhere is safe for children and their families in Gaza at the moment," said Patricia McPhillips, UNICEF Representative in oPt. "There needs to be an end to hostilities so we can truck in urgently required water, medicine and other life-saving assistance for children. And until the fighting ends, safe spaces must be created in Gaza so we can deliver our prepositioned supplies," she added.

Over the past three days UNICEF supplies have been distributed during the 3-hour truces, but need to be immediately replenished. Two flights with humanitarian supplies have arrived and more are expected.

UNICEF says the resumption of UNRWA's operations in Gaza is welcome, but an escalation of fighting has limited their access to the population.

UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

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Uwe Paschen

at 00:36 on January 10th, 2009

Hate makes blind and blindness can not see Wisdom and with out wisdom there is no justice.

Karen Hatter

at 00:55 on January 10th, 2009

Given that 45% of the population in Gaza is under the age of 15, it is almost assured the deaths and injuries of children would be on the rise.

Mary Richard

at 01:15 on January 10th, 2009

Do people get numbed to these numbers? Rising astronomically? Here's another quote, taken from Palestine News Network:

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said directly “Hamas is to blame,” while adding that “Israel is doing its utmost to protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza.”

The majority of Palestinians killed are civilian and hundreds of those children. Attorney with the UN, Allegra Pacheco said yesterday, “When you fire into Gaza you have more than a 50 percent chance of hitting a child.”

Karen Hatter

at 01:50 on January 10th, 2009

For anyone to state that Israel is engaged in efforts to " .... protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza." is engaged in some extremely warped, mind bending, mental gymnastics to reach such a bizarre conclusion.

Sputnic

at 02:31 on January 10th, 2009

Simple solution then: dont fire into Gaza ! If the UK had done this in northern Ireland the world including usa would have condemned the british state

poor oligarch (not verified)

at 04:10 on January 10th, 2009

Too true. The worst the British state could do in recent times was the Bloody Sunday Massacre where fourteen people, seven of whom were teenagers, died. After something like 400 years of war - funded in part by US citizens - finally through negotiation a fairly 'lasting and durable' peace has been achieved.

Dr.Best (not verified)

at 06:11 on January 10th, 2009

I really hope all of this stops really soon,there are Children who are suffering with out any fault of theirs,This should stop soon.I hope It Does.

tallison

at 08:12 on January 10th, 2009

Israel seems to be the only pampered, more equal than equal,with bloated sense of security nation which has uncirumcised right of premption, and right to act on feeling of perceived danger. israel is the only nation which can pooh pooh world opinion.You cant conquer and keep the land and enslave people in this age and at the same time dictate and define the terms and forms of resistence the subjugated can undertake. The Arab league offer to israel to get back to pre 1965 position when it occupied Arab territories is the realistic and fare solution to the middle-east crisis.