The war in Gaza has been devastating for children, with more than 13,000 killed, an estimated 25,000 injured, and at least another 25,000 taken to hospital for malnutrition, according to UN agencies.
The UK’s deputy UN ambassador James Kariuki recently told the Security Council: “Gaza has become the deadliest place in the world to be a child.
“The children of Gaza did not choose this war, yet they have paid the ultimate price,” he added.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported on Thursday that of the 40,717 Palestinian bodies identified so far in Gaza, one-third – 13,319 – were children. The office said the figures came from Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
The UN children’s agency, Unicef, said the estimate of 25,000 children injured came from its analysis based on information collected together with Gaza’s Health Ministry.
That figure also came from Unicef, which said it was from data collected by UN staff in Gaza focusing on nutrition, in coordination with all pertinent UN agencies.
The UN says thousands of children have also been orphaned or separated from their parents during the 15-month war.
Yasmine Sherif, executive director of the UN global fund Education Cannot Wait, told a press conference that 650,000 school-age children have not been attending classes and the entire education system has to be rebuilt because of the widespread destruction in Gaza.
Diplomats from Britain, France and other countries also cited the toll on Israeli children who were killed, injured and abducted during Hamas’ attack on southern Israel on October 7 2023 – with some still being held hostage.
“The trauma they have endured is beyond imagination,” he said.
Mr Danon called Thursday’s council meeting on children in Gaza “an affront to common sense”, accusing Hamas of turning Gaza into “the world’s largest terror base” and using children as human shields.
“The children of Gaza could have had a future filled with opportunity,” he said.
“Instead, they are trapped in a cycle of violence and despair, all because of Hamas, not because of Israel.”
