‘This war is a war on children’: UN agency chief amid ongoing war between Israel and Hamas

The brutal war began with the October 7 Hamas attack, which resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

The head of the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, revealed heartbreaking statistics about the impact of the conflict in Gaza. In a recent tweet, he highlighted the devastating toll on children in the region, stating that more children have been killed in Gaza in just over four months than in four years of conflict worldwide. According to United Nations data, more than 12,193 children were killed in conflicts worldwide between 2019 and 2022. In contrast, reports from the Gaza Ministry of Health show that more than 12,300 children died in the Palestinian territory between October and February. “This war is a war against children. It is a war against their youth and their future,” Lazzarini said.

The brutal war began with the October 7 Hamas attack, which resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. The militants also took about 250 hostages, dozens of whom were released during a weeklong ceasefire in November. Israel believes about 130 prisoners remain in Gaza, including 32 suspected dead.

Israel’s retaliatory bombing and ground offensive in Gaza have killed 31,184 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Israel’s Health Ministry.

Turkey’s Erdogan is pushing for global pressure on Israel to allow more aid to Gaza

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has urged increased international pressure on Israel to facilitate the access of more humanitarian aid to Gaza. Erdogan stressed the importance of supporting the people of Gaza during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Turkey has been vocal in its criticism of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza and has called for Israeli leaders to be tried for genocide before the World Court. The Turkish government has consistently called for a ceasefire and has sent more than 40,000 tons of humanitarian aid through Egypt.

During a quick dinner with foreign ambassadors in Ankara, Erdogan condemned Western countries for their support for Israel. He accused Western countries of enabling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to carry out what he described as “savage attacks” on Gaza by taking an indecisive stance. Erdogan’s comments underline Turkey’s position on the Israel-Gaza conflict and its commitment to providing aid to the people of Gaza.

Erdogan said on Tuesday that humanitarian support to Gazans during Ramadan, which began this week, would increasingly continue through state institutions, associations and other channels.