He assures that he will continue to work in the south of the enclave to help the displaced people
MADRID, Oct 14 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that hundreds of thousands of children in Gaza are in a “catastrophic” situation after a week of Israeli counterattacks on the Palestinian enclave in response to the Hamas offensive last Saturday.
UNICEF has insisted that both Hamas and Israel must declare an immediate ceasefire as a massive process of expulsion of residents who have received an evacuation order from Israel is taking place in the north of the enclave and will intensify their attacks on the area even more, without excluding large-scale ground entry.
Furthermore, we must add that “after several days of hostilities and cuts to all services, children and families in Gaza are left with virtually no food, water, electricity, medicine and safe access to hospitals,” he denounces. UNICEF.
For its Director General Catherine Russell, “the situation is catastrophic, with incessant bombing and a massive increase in the displacement of children and families.” Russell calls for “an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian access to be the main priorities to accommodate children and families in the Gaza Strip .” the help they so desperately need.
Whatever the form, UNICEF calls for “an immediate humanitarian pause to ensure safe and unhindered access to boys and girls in need, no matter who they are or where they are,” because “in war there are rules” and “the children . “The people of Gaza need vital support and every minute counts.”
UNICEF estimates that more than 423,000 people have already left their homes in Gaza to seek refuge in schools or hospitals, and some educational centers have been damaged in the attacks.
Gaza’s two largest hospitals, running out of fuel and overflowing with wounded civilians, have also been warned to move patients and staff south within hours.
“At the moment there is virtually no way out of Gaza for the civilian population,” affirms the United Nations Fund, whose workers face “increasingly difficult and dangerous” access despite declaring their intention to continue working.
“UNICEF staff will remain in the south of the Gaza Strip to continue to provide support to the children who need it most,” the fund adds, noting that UNICEF has distributed and worked hard to distribute almost all available relief supplies maintained even at very reduced capacity. the only operating desalination plant in the entire Gaza Strip.
This plant supplies drinking water to 75,000 people, but without fuel it could soon come to a standstill. Hospitals have also been supplied with medical supplies and medicines, but given the number of injuries, hospital beds and essential medicines (including anesthetics) are quickly running out.