The Horrific Toll on Children in GazaThe Horrific Toll on Children in Gaza Alexandra Saieh, spokesperson for Save the Children, has raised alarm over the devastating impact of Israeli attacks on Gaza on children. According to Saieh, no place in Gaza offers respite or safety for civilians, including children. In recent months, children have witnessed horrific violence, with some being dismembered by explosive weapons and crushed by falling debris. Save the Children estimates that over 20,000 children are missing in Gaza. This includes children separated from their families, those under rubble, children buried in unmarked graves, and those detained by Israeli forces. The organization further notes that over 14,000 children have been killed and thousands more have been maimed in the conflict. Saieh emphasized the urgent need for protection and assistance for the vulnerable children of Gaza. She appealed for an end to the violence and a respect for international humanitarian law, which prohibits targeting civilians, including children.
Alexandra Saieh, spokeswoman for Save the Children, told Al Jazeera that Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip continue to kill and maim children.
“There is no place in Gaza that can offer civilians, including children, respite, and there is no place in Gaza that is safe,” she said from Washington, DC.
“We continue to see children being killed in the most horrific ways. We have seen children – in the last weeks and in the last nine months – being dismembered, their limbs torn off by explosive weapons, they have been crushed by falling debris… it is just brutal.”
Saieh noted that Save the Children estimates that more than 20,000 children are missing in Gaza.
“This includes children separated from their families and more than 4,000 who are under the rubble and presumed dead. It also includes children buried in unmarked graves and children detained and disappeared by Israeli forces. This is in addition to the more than 14,000 children who have been killed and thousands more who have been mutilated,” she said.
