Gaza Mourns Loss of Children amid UNICEF's Plea for Ceasefire
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The situation in Gaza has taken a devastating toll on children, with UNICEF reporting that at least 940 children have gone missing and over 3,700 have died in the besieged territory.
"Gaza has become a graveyard of children," declared UNICEF spokesperson James Elder during a press briefing at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva.
The health ministry of Gaza estimates that more than 3,700 children have lost their lives since the conflict began.
Elder emphasized UNICEF's call for an immediate ceasefire and urged for humanitarian access to reach the beleaguered enclave. Tragically, children in Gaza are losing their lives not only due to Israeli airstrikes but also because of a dire shortage of medical care.
Gaza's health ministry has reported relentless Israeli attacks targeting hospitals and medical facilities, leading to an appalling loss of medical personnel. Gaza health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra, stated that violations against medical teams are ongoing with one-hundred thirty medical staff having lost their lives.
He further detailed the deliberate targeting of medical institutions, saying, "The Israeli occupiers continue to intentionally hit medical facilities. Fifty-seven medical institutions have been struck thus far, with thirty-two medical centers rendered inoperable due to either being targeted or facing a critical shortage of fuel."
Among the damaged medical facilities, the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital was directly targeted, resulting in the partial destruction of the hospital. The destruction has taken a severe toll on cancer patients, causing many to suffer panic attacks due to the devastation.
The dire situation in Gaza continues to worsen with each passing day. Since the commencement of Israeli attacks on October 7, at least 8,525 Palestinians have lost their lives in Gaza, according to information provided by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).