UN Agency Reports One Child Dies Every Hour in Gaza
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Gaza, Dec 25 (NationPress) The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) revealed that one child is killed every hour in the Gaza Strip.
“There is no safe haven for children. Since the onset of the conflict, 14,500 children have been documented as killed in Gaza, according to UNICEF. Every hour, a child's life is extinguished. These figures represent more than statistics; they signify lives abruptly ended,” UNRWA stated in a press release.
“The killing of children is indefensible. Those who endure are left with both physical and emotional scars. Boys and girls in Gaza are left to navigate through the debris, deprived of their education,” the organization added.
“Time is running out for these children. They are losing their lives, their prospects, and most importantly, their hope,” it emphasized.
Israel has been conducting a comprehensive military operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, a response to a Hamas assault on the southern Israeli border on October 7, 2023, during which approximately 1,200 individuals were killed and around 250 taken hostage.
The death toll among Palestinians due to ongoing Israeli assaults in Gaza has reportedly reached 45,338, as stated by Gaza-based health officials on Tuesday.
On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that “progress has been made” in negotiations for a ceasefire-for-hostages deal with Hamas, though he cautioned that the timeline for a resolution remains uncertain.
In a session before the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, Netanyahu remarked, “I cannot predict how long this will take,” while pledging to “exert every effort to ensure everyone returns home.”
Earlier on the same day, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar detailed aspects of the proposed agreement during a private meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, characterizing it as “a phased, gradual approach.”
Reports from both Israeli and Palestinian media indicate that mediation efforts led by Qatari, Egyptian, and US representatives have shown signs of advancement, although a significant breakthrough remains out of reach.
