Amman, Oct. 8 (Petra) – UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell affirmed that the ongoing suffering of Gaza’s children for more than 700 days constitutes "an affront to our shared humanity," calling for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the war that has caused unprecedented humanitarian tragedies.
In a press statement issued Tuesday evening, Russell said that Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City and other parts of the Strip are still continuing, stressing that "the world must not and cannot allow this catastrophic situation to persist." She added that reports over the past two years indicate that around 64,000 children across Gaza have been killed or injured, including at least 1,000 infants, emphasizing that the actual number of victims could be far higher, given the unknown number of children who have died from preventable diseases or remain buried under the rubble.
Russell explained that famine continues in Gaza City and is spreading southward, where children live in "harsh and shocking" conditions. She noted that the crisis of malnutrition especially among infants has reached alarming levels, with months of inadequate food causing permanent harm to children’s physical and mental development.
She stressed that the need for a ceasefire is now extremely urgent, pointing out that recent reports since Saturday morning indicated the deaths of at least 14 children amid ongoing heavy Israeli bombardment of Gaza City and other areas of the Strip.
Russell expressed UNICEF’s support for all international efforts aimed at ending the war and charting a path toward peace in Gaza and the region. She emphasized that any peace plan must include an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the provision of safe, swift, and unimpeded humanitarian access through all available crossings and routes, at the scale required to meet the needs of Gaza’s entire population especially children.
She underlined that international humanitarian law is clear on this matter, calling on Israel to ensure full protection of civilian lives. "The denial of humanitarian assistance to civilians is strictly prohibited," she said, adding that all military operations must adhere to the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution.
Russell further stated that civilians who cannot leave conflict zones, or choose not to evacuate, "remain civilians and must be protected at all times," emphasizing the need to uphold these principles in all stages of military operations.
She concluded her statement by saying: "Every child killed is an irreplaceable loss. For the sake of all the children of Gaza, this war must end now." //Petra// AJ
