After a four-day visit to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, UNICEF Regional Director for North Africa and the Middle East, Edouard Beigbeder, in a statement criticized the lack of protection and humanitarian assistance for this population. The situation in the occupied territories, including East Jerusalem, is extremely worrying, he emphasized.

The official warned that nearly 2.4 million Palestinian children are affected in some way. “Some live in extreme fear and anxiety, while others face real consequences from the denial of humanitarian assistance and protection, or from displacement, destruction, or even death,” he emphasized.

Beigbeder also stressed that one million children living in Gaza lack the basic necessities of survival as a result of restrictions imposed on the entry of humanitarian aid. “Children must not be killed, injured, or displaced, and all parties must respect their rights,” he noted.

Days ago, Beigbeder also condemned Israel’s ban on allowing humanitarian aid into the Strip. “The decision by Benjamin Netanyahu’s government will quickly lead to devastating consequences for the children and families of Gaza struggling to survive,” he warned, noting that seven newborns recently died of hypothermia “because they lacked access to sufficiently warm clothing and blankets, shelter, or medical care.” “These preventable deaths are heartbreaking and serve as a reminder that more aid is desperately needed,” he emphasized.

Israel halted the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza hours after the official end of the truce in place since January 19th. The measure was adopted during a meeting of the security cabinet headed by Netanyahu and supported by the United States, but widely criticized by Arab countries and the UN.

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