Palestinian Mission to UN Blasts Israeli Slaughter of Gaza’s Children

According to their statement on social media, the number of Palestinian children killed in the past month exceeds the total count of Palestinian children killed in the occupied West Bank and Gaza since 1967.

Since the onset of the Israeli military offensive on October 7, at least 4,237 Palestinian children have lost their lives in Gaza, as reported by the Palestinian health ministry.

This staggering figure underscores the severity of the crisis. Additionally, an alarming 1,350 children are unaccounted for, feared to be buried under the debris of the countless buildings destroyed in the onslaught.

These grim statistics point to a heartbreaking reality where approximately 180 children lose their lives each day in Gaza, according to Defense of Children International - Palestine, an organization dedicated to child rights.

The catastrophic impact of Israeli strikes extends beyond the high death toll, reaching the realm of potential war crimes. Human Rights Watch (HRW), a prominent international human rights organization, has called for a thorough investigation into an Israeli army strike on an ambulance outside Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza that occurred on November 3.

In a statement, HRW highlighted their review of video footage and photographs taken shortly after the attack, along with interviews with eyewitnesses. These materials reveal a distressing scene: a woman on a stretcher in the ambulance and at least 21 dead or injured individuals in the vicinity, including 5 children.

HRW further emphasized that there was no evidence indicating that the ambulance had been repurposed for military use, refuting claims made by an Israeli army spokesperson in a video released after the incident. This assertion has amplified concerns regarding potential war crimes.

The devastating consequences of these attacks have also affected humanitarian organizations working in the region. The World Health Organization (WHO) expressed its condolences to Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres or MSF) following the tragic loss of one of their team members in an Israeli air attack in Gaza. This incident, which also claimed the lives of several members of the worker's family, highlights the risks faced by aid workers as they continue to provide essential care in the midst of violence.

In a statement, Tedros Ghebreyesus, head of WHO, expressed mourning for the loss and underlined the organization's grave concerns for their colleagues in Gaza, many of whom remain dedicated to delivering lifesaving care despite the dangers they face.

MSF reiterated their call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, emphasizing that no place in Gaza is safe from the relentless and indiscriminate bombing.

As the Israeli attacks on Gaza rage on, calls for an end to the violence intensify, with a growing focus on the dire situation faced by children in the besieged territory.

The international community continues to grapple with the urgent need to halt the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza.