As many as 17,000 children have been left unaccompanied or separated from their parents and caregivers, the International Rescue Committee reported in October. Others struggle to find enough food, water, and warmth as Israel’s siege has drained supplies. Children are unable to receive adequate care in the medical system, which has been paralyzed by Israel’s attacks, doctors have told CNN. Just 20% of neonatal care units are operational in the Gaza Strip, according to Dr. Al-Farra. Premature babies are dying due to a lack of medical supplies, including ventilators, while doctors are forced to triage cases to save children’s lives, he said.
Nariman Al-Fasih spoke with CNN about the death of her daughter.
The UN’s children’s agency, UNICEF, warned that many displaced children in Gaza are wearing little more than the clothes on their backs – after many were forced to flee Israel’s bombardment in summer clothes earlier this year.
“For over 14 months, children have been at the sharp edge of this nightmare… In Gaza, the reality for over a million children is fear, utter deprivation, and unimaginable suffering,” Rosalia Bollen, a UNICEF communications specialist, said in a statement on December 20.
“The war on children in Gaza stands as a stark reminder of our collective responsibility. A generation of children is enduring the brutal violation of their rights and the destruction of their futures.”
