Since the airstrikes on the Gaza Strip began on Saturday, it is now stated that at least 447 children have been killed, this is stated by the UN children’s fund Unicef. Now international aid organizations also believe that the death toll is expected to rise. Now Unicef is also calling for Hamas to release the children who are being held hostage.
The UN children’s fund Unicef states that at least 447 children have been killed in airstrikes in the Gaza Strip since the war broke out on Saturday. Aid organizations are also told that the death toll may increase when supplies run out.
Even before the war, Gaza’s 1.1 million children needed help such as water, food and medicine to survive, according to the UN.
UN criticizes call for evacuation
Early on Friday, 1.1 million people in Gaza were told to evacuate. UN officials in Gaza were informed that the entire northern part of Gaza is to be moved south within the next 24 hours – and the call is now being criticized by the UN.
– The UN strongly appeals that such an order, if confirmed, should be revoked to avoid what could turn something that is already a tragedy into a catastrophic situation, Stéphane Dujarric told AFP.
Now the operations center and personnel linked to the UN aid organization UNRWA will be moved to southern Gaza.
“We call on the Israeli authorities to protect all civilians in UNRWA shelters, including in schools,” the organization writes on X, formerly Twitter.
Call to release hostages
Since Israel’s attacks on Gaza began on Saturday, over 1,500 people have been killed. There are also supposed to be more than 423,000 people who were forced to leave their homes after the Israeli bomb raids, according to the UN agency Ocha. Right now, at least 150 people are being held hostage in the Gaza Strip – among them are soldiers, civilians, children and the elderly.
Now Unicef has also called on Hamas to release all the children who were taken hostage.