'Gaza most dangerous place in the world for children': UNICEF

The Regional Director of UNICEF in the Middle East and North Africa, Adele Khodr, stated Saturday that the Gaza Strip is currently the most dangerous place in the world for children.

“UNICEF and other humanitarian actors have been ringing the alarm for weeks. Our team on the ground described meeting children with missing limbs and third-degree burns, and children left shell-shocked by the continuing violence that surrounds them,” the statement warned.

“[The children] are at increased risk of respiratory infections and waterborne disease. Their lives are further threatened by dehydration, malnutrition and disease,” Khodr added, “the humanitarian system is buckling, particularly under the extreme strain caused by the measures imposed after the end of the ceasefire, as the population is pushed further into despair.

“The world is watching, helpless and devastated – we cannot act quickly enough. This must stop immediately.”

Since the beginning of the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) aggression against the Gaza Strip on October 7, approximately 16,500 Palestinians, including over 6,000 children, have been martyred, and more than 42,000 have been injured. Thousands are still missing, in a provisional toll.