NEW YORK CITY: At least 300 children have been killed in Gaza over the past 300 days, the UN Children’s Fund said on Thursday, an average of one a day as civilians in the territory continue to face intense military strikes including shelling, gunfire and naval fire.
Hundreds more children were reportedly injured during the same period, the fund added.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said children in Gaza continued to live in difficult conditions that include overcrowded shelters and limited access to safe water and healthcare.
In the West Bank, settler attacks and Israeli military operations continue to affect the homes and livelihoods of Palestinians, OCHA warned.
Israeli settlers reportedly set fire to homes overnight in the Palestinian community of Tuba, in the Masafer Yatta area of Hebron, displacing three families, including 14 children, who sought safety with relatives or neighbors.
Several people were injured, including two children, OCHA said, and a solar power system and 10 tonnes of animal feed were destroyed, along with other property.
Between the start of the year and the end of July, OCHA documented more than 1,380 incidents involving Israeli settlers that resulted in casualties, property damage or both, an average of between six and seven a day across 250 Palestinian communities.
More than 2,300 Palestinians were displaced during the same period as a result of settler attacks and related access restrictions, OCHA said. It reiterated that Palestinians across the occupied territories must be protected and perpetrators who target them must be held accountable.
In Jerusalem Governorate, meanwhile, thousands of Palestinians in Qalandia Camp remained under closure conditions for a second straight day on Thursday after Israeli forces launched a major operation there.
OCHA said humanitarian workers were unable to access the area safely, raising concerns about the safety of residents and their ability to obtain emergency care, access services and reach workplaces.
