UNICEF: Lives of 1 Million Children ‘Hanging by Thread’ in Gaza

Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza (AFP)
Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza (AFP)
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UNICEF: Lives of 1 Million Children ‘Hanging by Thread’ in Gaza

Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza (AFP)
Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza (AFP)

The near total breakdown and attacks on medical and healthcare services across Gaza, in particular the northern areas, threatens the lives of every child in the Strip, UNICEF said in a new report.

"Over the past 24-hours, medical care at Al-Rantisi and Al-Nasr children’s hospitals has reportedly almost ceased, with only a small generator powering the intensive care and neonatal intensive care units. Intense attacks and hostilities are reported near Al-Rantisi hospital, where there are reportedly children on dialysis and in intensive care," the report said.

The statement affirmed that Al-Nasr Children’s Hospital was damaged again in an attack, including lifesaving equipment, according to reports, noting that another children’s hospital in the north has stopped operating due to damage and a lack of fuel, and a specialist maternity hospital is in desperate need of fuel to keep functioning.

“Children’s right to life and health is being denied,” said Adele Khodr, UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Director.

“The protection of hospitals and delivery of lifesaving medical supplies is an obligation under the laws of war, and both are needed now.”

Medical facilities in the middle and southern areas of the Gaza Strip, already overwhelmed treating injuries, are now having to also cope with treating the needs of an influx of hundreds of thousands of people into even more densely packed spaces. These existing services must be supported and strengthened to deal with the increasing challenges they face.

Child health services across the Gaza Strip were already seriously overstretched before the current hostilities, with the health sector lacking adequate physical infrastructure, medical equipment, and with services, including water services, frequently interrupted by power cuts.

More than 1.5 million displaced people, including 700,000 children, are now struggling to access safe water and are living in dreadful sanitation conditions. The risk of waterborne and other diseases is rising by the day and particularly threatens children.

“Children in Gaza are hanging by a thread, particularly in the north,” said Khodr.

“Thousands and thousands of children remain in northern Gaza as hostilities intensify. These children have nowhere to go and are at extreme risk. We call for the attacks on health care facilities to stop immediately and for the urgent delivery of fuel and medical supplies to hospitals across all Gaza, including the northern parts of the Strip.”



ICRC to Expand Syria Humanitarian Efforts beyond $100 Mln Program

A logo of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is pictured in Geneva, Switzerland March 29, 2022. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
A logo of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is pictured in Geneva, Switzerland March 29, 2022. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
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ICRC to Expand Syria Humanitarian Efforts beyond $100 Mln Program

A logo of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is pictured in Geneva, Switzerland March 29, 2022. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
A logo of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is pictured in Geneva, Switzerland March 29, 2022. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) plans to expand its work in Syria significantly beyond an initial $100 million program, the organization's president said on Monday, citing pressing needs in the health, water and power sectors.
Syria requires $4.07 billion in aid this year, but only 33.1% has been funded, leaving a $2.73 billion gap, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The ICRC's expected expansion follows new access to all regions of the country after the toppling of president Bashar al-Assad last month.
"Our program originally for this year for Syria was $100 million, but we are likely to expand that significantly," ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric told Reuters on the sidelines of a visit to the country.
She said individual donor countries had already come forward with an increase in funding for Syria.
ICRC was one of the few international organizations still operating in Syria under Assad's rule, working on infrastructure projects including water and electricity systems.
"We need to expand that work, we have a lot to do in the health sector," she added.
The organization is engaged in rehabilitation work to sustain water provision at 40% to 50% of what it was before the war, but protection of water facilities remains important as some are close to places where fighting is still under way.
"There are facilities next to the Euphrates Lake that are specific to the protection requirement at the moment," she said.
Initial assessments to begin immediate rehabilitation of Syria’s electricity systems are partly complete, but urgent financial investments and adjustments to sanctions are now required, she added.
"Certain spare parts need to be allowed to come in because that is also hampering the rehabilitation work at the moment. So there's a political dimension to it," she said.
Earlier, people briefed on the matter told Reuters that the US is set to announce an easing of restrictions on providing humanitarian aid and other basic services such as electricity to Syria while maintaining its strict sanctions regime.
On Sunday, Syria's new rulers said US sanctions were an obstacle to the country's rapid recovery and urged Washington to lift them, during a visit by Syrian officials to Qatar.