The violence has resulted in death and injury to Gaza children, with at least 322 children confirmed dead and 609 others injured within 10 days, said UNICEF in a statement on Monday, March 31.
The toll highlights a disturbing average of around 100 children either killed or severely maimed daily during this period, UNICEF said, adding that the majority of the children were displaced, seeking shelter in makeshift tents or damaged homes, thereby worsening their vulnerability.
Some of the casualties include children who were reportedly injured or killed during an attack on Al Nasser Hospital on March 23, which was struck by bombardments.
The continuation of indiscriminate airstrikes, along with a severe blockade, has prevented essential supplies from entering Gaza for over three weeks and has pushed the humanitarian crisis to a breaking point, the agency stated.
With over one million children in Gaza at risk, UNICEF argued that lack of food, clean water, medical supplies, and shelter would contribute to increasing malnutrition, disease outbreaks, and other preventable conditions, all of which it said were heightening the risk of more child deaths.
According to UNICEF, more than 15,000 children have been killed, over 34,000 have been injured, and nearly one million children have been repeatedly displaced since the 18-month-old conflict began.
The agency said absence of humanitarian aid, which has been blocked since March 2 – the longest blockade of aid since the war began – further worsened the suffering, leaving children without basic needs and increasing the likelihood of preventable deaths.
