Middle East - Unicef criticizes "hypocrisy" in the Gaza Strip
On his return from the Gaza Strip, the spokesman for the UN children's charity Unicef, James Elder, described the conditions there as catastrophic. A spokeswoman for the World Health Organization (WHO) described it as unconscionable that the world continues to allow such devastating conditions.
Four out of five minors do not have enough to eat, said Elder in Geneva. Diarrheal diseases were spreading among the youngest children. He was furious that injured children were dying and that parents of seriously ill children had only "hope and dirty water", said Elder. Israeli forces had promised to spare civilians, but the reality was different. "I am angry that hypocrisy is crushing empathy," he said.
A 13-year-old girl lost her parents and two brothers in the destruction of the apartment building and survived with an amputated leg, but then died in a grenade attack on the Nasser hospital, Elder reported. The girl, Dina, had not let the loss of her family get her down and had made plans for the future before the grenade hit. She had wanted to become a lawyer.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), only eight of the 36 hospitals are still functioning to some extent. The staff can hardly move, even in the intensive care units, because there are patients everywhere on the floor. Even those in severe pain were not the first to ask for painkillers, but for water and food. "It's unconscionable that the world is allowing this to continue," said spokeswoman Margaret Harris.
Hamas authority: More than 19,600 dead
The number of Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip has risen to 19,667 since the beginning of the war, according to the Hamas-controlled health authority. That is 214 more deaths than the day before, according to the authority's spokesman, Ashraf al-Kudra. A further 52,586 people were injured.
The authority's figures cannot be verified at present, but the UN and other observers point out that they have proved to be generally credible in the past.
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- The Middle East situation in the Gaza Strip has garnered criticism from the United Nations (UN) and its organizations, such as Unicef and the World Health Organization (WHO), based in Geneva, Switzerland.
- James Elder, the spokesman for Unicef, described the conditions in the Gaza Strip as catastrophic after his recent visit to the region.
- The WHO shares Elder's concerns, calling the continuing devastating conditions in Gaza unconscionable.
- The UNHCR, in an attempt to address the crisis, has provided support to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, particularly focusing on children's health and wellbeing.
- Elder reported a worrying trend in the Gaza Strip, where four out of five minors do not have enough to eat, and diarrheal diseases are spreading among the youngest children.
- The situation is further exacerbated by the scarcity of resources, including painkillers, in hospitals, with patients often prioritizing water and food over medical care.
- Israel, in turn, has faced criticism for allegedly breaking its promise to spare civilians during conflicts, resulting in the death of injured children and the prolongation of the suffering of seriously ill children and their families.
- The UN, acknowledging the distressing situation, has urged for a ceasefire and called upon the international community to take action.
- The Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva, James Elder, has expressed his disappointment with the hypocrisy that clouds the empathy of the world in addressing the Gaza conflict, which continues to impact children, families, and communities.
Source: www.stern.de
