UNICEF Reports Over 13,000 Child Fatalities in Gaza Amidst Escalating Conflict

Since the war began in the Gaza Strip, the head of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Catherine Russell, reported on Sunday that over 13,000 children have lost their lives. She highlighted the dire situation of many children living in the Palestinian enclave, stating that "many do not even have the strength to cry" due to malnutrition.

The Gaza Strip is facing a severe humanitarian crisis. Israeli forces are continuing their efforts to dismantle Hamas, resulting in thousands of children being injured. "We cannot even determine their whereabouts. They may be buried under the rubble," Catherine Russell said on the CBS News program.

"We have not seen such a high rate of child fatalities in almost any other conflict around the world. I have visited hospital wards where children are suffering from severe anemia and malnutrition. The wards are engulfed in absolute silence because the children, including infants, do not even have the strength to cry," the UNICEF Executive Director added.

Russell also mentioned that delivering humanitarian aid via trucks to the Gaza Strip has significant bureaucratic hurdles.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas, the ruling party in the Gaza Strip, launched an armed assault on Israel, targeting military bases, border kibbutzim, and civilians at an outdoor music festival. The attacks resulted in over 1,200 fatalities, most of whom were civilians, and around 240 hostages were taken back to the Gaza Strip.

In response, Israel has pledged to eradicate Hamas. According to claims made by the health ministry of the Palestinian semi-enclave, which is governed by Hamas, Israeli military operations have so far resulted in over 31,000 Palestinian deaths. In addition, 90 percent of the Gaza Strip's populace, exceeding 2 million residents, have been displaced from their homes. A significant portion of the territory's infrastructure has been decimated.