UNICEF: Over 320 children killed in Gaza in 10 days
More than 320 children have been killed and over 600 wounded in Gaza in the past 10 days as Israel continues its military offensive, UNICEF said on Monday. The casualties include those affected by an attack on the surgical department of Al Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza on March 23.
The UN agency stated that many of the children impacted were already displaced, seeking shelter in makeshift tents or damaged buildings. The escalation follows Israel’s resumption of airstrikes and a ground offensive on March 18, ending a nearly two-month ceasefire in the conflict with Hamas.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell called for the protection of children, emphasizing that they have been caught in “a cycle of deadly violence and deprivation.” The agency reported that after nearly 18 months of war, over 15,000 children have reportedly been killed, more than 34,000 injured, and nearly one million displaced multiple times.
UNICEF urged an immediate end to hostilities and called on Israel to lift restrictions on humanitarian aid, in place since March 2. It warned that without access to essential supplies, malnutrition and disease could increase, leading to more preventable child deaths. The UN agency also appealed for the evacuation of sick and injured children for medical care.
