UNICEF Communications Specialist, Rosalia Bollen has bemoaned the situation for children in the besieged Gaza strip.
She noted, “It is absolutely inconceivable that over a year into this war, the situation for children in Gaza appears to get only worse and worse.”
Bollen noted that when it is said that Gaza is “not safe”, the statement refers not only to the immediate dangers posed by bombs and bullets but also the lack of access to healthcare “which is effectively a death sentence for many severely ill children and severely wounded children.”
“There’s no access to sufficient nutritious food. There’s a high prevalence of diseases.”
Rosalia Bollen
Moreover, Bollen said that all children in Gaza urgently need mental health support.
“Children have difficulties sleeping at night. They have lots of fear. The moment they hear the sound of drones or planes flying over, they flee inside their shelters.”
Rosalia Bollen
Earlier, Save the Children reported that children have been cut off from supplies of food, water and medicine since October 6, when Israeli forces launched a siege on northern Gaza. It called the situation there “not fit for human survival.”
A Gaza Civil Defence Spokesman, Mahmoud Basal spoke to a news agency about the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Basal stressed that the enclave is witnessing tragic conditions, becoming more difficult due to rain, adding that displaced people’s tents are being flooded.
He noted that Israeli forces are preventing the work of relief organisations and international institutions. “Our needs are great and the Israeli army has completely destroyed the relief system,” he voiced.
He iterated that Israeli forces are preventing the supply of cooking gas to the Gaza Strip, especially in the north.
Winter To Worsen Health Crisis For Palestinians In Gaza
In comments to a newspaper, Louise Wateridge, a Spokesperson for the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency, said that an estimated half a million people in Gaza could be flooded with sewage once winter rains start.
He disclosed that “When it rains, sewage is going to pile up in lower [elevation] areas.” All displaced people “are using some kind of makeshift toilet and essentially trying to just get the sewage away from their shelter. But that doesn’t mean it’s not accumulating near somebody else’s or on the street.”
Israeli attacks have decimated infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, leaving Palestinians there to improvise.
In winter, Wateridge said, malnourished people “will get sicker because it all works together against their health and wellbeing.”
Israel is still making it difficult to get aid into the Strip, she continued, saying that 33 trucks loaded with mattresses had been parked at the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza for six months due to restrictions on aid deliveries.
“At the current rate of aid entering, it will take two years to get it to everybody, so that they can all have basic things like mattresses, blankets and waterproof tents and tarps.”
Louise Wateridge
Separately, the Director General of the World Health Organization said that the ongoing attacks on Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza have resulted in 14 more injuries in the past 48 hours, which includes the hospital’s director and several other healthcare workers.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called the situation there “deplorable and deeply concerning.”
“There are still 65 adult patients with injuries, 13 child patients, and 8 patients in the intensive care unit in need of care. The attacks on Kamal Adwan Hospital must stop immediately.”
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Israeli forces have repeatedly attacked the hospital, its medical staff and patients and damaged the facility’s generators, fuel tanks and main oxygen station.
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