News / Palestine

10 children in Gaza losing one or both legs every day: UNRWA

Tuesday, 25 June 2024 4:41 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 25 June 2024 6:24 PM ]

A Palestinian boy reacts at a UN-run school sheltering displaced people following an Israeli strike in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, November 2, 2023. (Photo by Reuters)

The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) says an average of 10 children per day are losing one or both of their legs due to Israeli savagery in the besieged Gaza Strip.

URRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said in a press briefing in the Swiss city of Geneva on Tuesday that the figures by UNICEF do not include children who have lost their hands or arms.

On top of the thousands of children Israel has killed or injured in the besieged Palestinian territory, more than 21,000 are also estimated to be missing, according to humanitarian organization Save the Children.

The organization recently said many of them are trapped under rubble, detained, buried in unmarked graves, or separated from their loved ones.

Save the Children: Gaza kids suffer from ‘complete psychological destruction’

The organization said before October 7, 2023, children in Gaza were already living with exceptionally poor mental health.

Lazzarini also again warned about the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Aid flow, in particular, has been strained in recent weeks, with the number of open crossings low and numerous aid trucks being looted, the UNRWA chief said.

“We are confronted with a near total breakdown of law and order. Truck drivers [are] being regularly threatened and assaulted, and less and less are willing to move assistance from the border to our warehouses.”

Lazzarini said Tuesday more UNRWA facilities were targeted overnight, bringing the total number of its affected premises to 190. These attacks deprive Palestinians seeking shelter there of what little protection remains in the enclave, he said.

Due to shortages, thousands of families are using seawater, according to UNRWA.

As summer heat sets in, children in Gaza are waiting in long queues to bring back small amounts of clean water.

In #Gaza’s burning summer heat, children have to wait in long queues to access minimal amounts of water.

Thousands of families are forced to rely on dirty sea water for their daily needs.

Safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to the #GazaStrip is urgently needed to save lives. pic.twitter.com/bK2akI675J
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) June 25, 2024

‘Palliative treatment’: Medical shortage threatens lives of 1,000 dialysis patients in Gaza

In a statement released on Monday, the ministry of health in Gaza said acute shortage of medicine and medical supplies has impacted dialysis patients, limiting services provided to them to “palliative treatment.”

“Due to the continued aggression, hospitals and health centers are unable to provide the necessary medical services to save the lives of patients,” the statement read.

“Among the medications on the verge of running out are those used for anesthesia, intensive care, surgical operations, and treatments for oncology and dialysis patients.”

Since May 7, Israel has had the Rafah border crossing closed, preventing patients from leaving Gaza for medical treatment abroad as well as entry of aid and supplies.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk