Intense Hostilities Continue in Gaza Despite Calls for Ceasefire
GAZA — In the midst of intense hostilities in Gaza, UN humanitarians reported a “double-digit number of children killed overnight” on Tuesday, as aid delivery obstacles contribute to near-famine conditions in the region.
The ongoing violence persists despite a ceasefire call for the remainder of Ramadan from the Security Council on Monday, prompting urgent appeals from UN aid agencies for immediate respect of the resolution to prevent further casualties.
UN Children’s Fund spokesperson James Elder, speaking from Rafah in southern Gaza, revealed that 13,750 children have been killed according to Gaza’s health authorities due to Israeli airstrikes in response to Hamas-led terror attacks on Israel.
Reports of “a double-digit number of children killed overnight” emerged just hours after the Security Council resolution was passed, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
Describing the devastation in the southern Gazan city of Khan Younis, Elder emphasized the impact of constant Israeli bombardment, leaving many children and families buried under the rubble of their homes.
With Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis no longer operational, and only one-third of Gaza’s hospitals partially functional, the humanitarian crisis continues to escalate.
Despite a recent UN World Food Program aid mission securing the passage of relief supplies, many in Gaza are still in desperate need of food and aid, with hundreds of trucks containing lifesaving supplies waiting over the border in Egypt.
UNICEF officials also highlighted the catastrophic decline into imminent famine in Gaza, with one in three children under two years old suffering from acute malnutrition.
The situation is exacerbated by the significant decrease in aid deliveries to Gaza, with only a fraction of the necessary trucks reaching the enclave daily.
Concerns about the dire conditions in Gaza were echoed by the UN World Health Organization, reporting on the evacuation of patients from Al Amal hospital in the south due to intense hostilities.
As airstrikes continue to hit Gaza, the need for immediate humanitarian aid remains critical, with calls for Israel to lift its ban on aid deliveries to the region by UNRWA.
Amid escalating violence and growing humanitarian concerns, the international community is urged to prioritize the protection and assistance of civilians in Gaza.
