Children in Gaza are dying at an unprecedented rate and facing a severe humanitarian crisis, and the international community should take immediate action to prevent widespread famine, said UN Children's Fund Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban on Friday.
Chaiban, who has just returned from Israel and Gaza, made the remarks at a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York City.
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Gaza children dying at unprecedented rate: UN official
Gaza children dying at unprecedented rate: UN official
Gaza children dying at unprecedented rate: UN official
Gaza children dying at unprecedented rate: UN official
"Over 18,000 children have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of the war. That's an average of 28 children a day, the size of a classroom, gone. We now have two indicators that have exceeded the famine threshold: one in three people in Gaza are going days without food, and the malnutrition indicator has exceeded the famine threshold with global acute malnutrition now at over 16.5 percent. Today, more than 320,000 young children are at risk of acute malnutrition," he said.
Though the blockade has been eased and UNICEF has 1,500 trucks carrying food, milk powder and hygiene products ready to enter Gaza, he said, only a small amount of supplies have been approved for passage at present, which is far from meeting the demand.
He called for more humanitarian and commercial supplies, including food, water and power generation equipment, to get into Gaza.
Gaza children dying at unprecedented rate: UN official
Gaza children dying at unprecedented rate: UN official
Gaza children dying at unprecedented rate: UN official
Gaza children dying at unprecedented rate: UN official
