A UNICEF representative has decried the mass killings of children in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas conflict and urged “those with influence” to halt the violence.
On Friday, James Elder shared an emotional video on Instagram, saying, “The ceasefire is gone. The bombardment can already be heard. I’m in the hospital. There was a strike around 50 yards away. This is Gaza’s largest and only operational hospital. It has reached 200% capacity. The local health-care system is overburdened.”
The UN Children’s Fund spokesman stated the world “cannot see more children with the wounds of war, with the burns, with the shrapnel littering their body, with the broken bones,” adding that “this is a war on children.”
Elder’s remarks came after renewed fighting between Israel and Hamas following the expiry of a week-long truce, which started on November 24. On Saturday, the Israeli military carried out large-scale bombing raids on Gaza.
Gaza health officials say Israeli air strikes have killed 184 people and wounded at least 589 others since the truce ended on Friday morning. On Friday evening, Reuters quoted officials in Gaza as saying more 20 residential buildings had been hit. The local health ministry has said most of those killed in the strikes were children and women.
Jens Laerke, the UN humanitarian office’s spokeswoman in Geneva, has warned that the fresh conflict will exacerbate an already severe humanitarian situation, adding, “Hell on Earth has returned to Gaza.”
According to Gaza authorities, over 6,000 children have been killed in the enclave since Israel launched its operation in response to the Hamas attack on October 7.
Another 1,800 children have been trapped beneath the rubble, the majority of them are thought dead. Another 9,000 youngsters have been hurt, many of them permanently.
