United Nations (UN) officials said Tuesday (30/7) that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is having a particularly dire impact on Palestinian children, due to reduced access to clean water, sanitation and vaccinations.
“The bombing of one of the main clean water facilities in Rafah is appalling and yet another blatant disregard for children’s rights,” said James Elder, UNICEF spokesman.
He added that most Palestinian children are now suffering in a “death cycle” due to lack of nutrition, drinking water and high temperatures during the summer.
“In addition, of course, there is a very, very, very active conflict,” Elder said.
The distribution of humanitarian aid, especially vaccines, has been severely slowed, another UN official said.
Christian Lindmeier, a spokesman for the World Health Organization (WHO), demanded a ceasefire and “at least clear and safe roads” to ensure vaccine supplies can enter the Gaza Strip.
Israeli military operations and chaos in Gaza have made it too dangerous for aid trucks to move.
Elder said that before the renewed Israel-Hamas war, the Gaza Strip's vaccination rate was “very high,” but has now dropped sharply due to Israel's military campaign.
For example, the polio vaccination rate was once 99%, but has now dropped to 89%, Elder said.
Last week, the WHO's top official in the Palestinian territories said he was “deeply concerned” about the spread of polio and other infectious diseases in Gaza after traces of the virus were detected in samples of the territory's wastewater. (rd/ab)
