Approximately half of a million Palestinian children have been affected by Israel’s ongoing war on the Gaza Strip for the 36th day running the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor estimates. The figure includes those who have been killed injured or whose family homes have been damaged or destroyed.
The Euro-Med Monitor reported that 6100 children were killed or reported missing under the rubble of buildings destroyed by Israel’s intense air and artillery attacks on the Gaza Strip as chances for their survival diminished over the days.
More than 15500 children were injured with dozens of them in critical condition others suffering limb amputations and hundreds suffering severe burns over their bodies according to the human rights organization.
Approximately between 17000 and 18000 Palestinian children have lost one or both of their parents leaving them without support. In addition over 450000 children had their homes damaged or destroyed.
In addition the future of hundreds of thousands of children is still unknown as 214 schools in the Gaza Strip were damaged or destroyed during the Israeli attacks seriously affecting the education process in the Strip.
The children of Gaza are being subjected to indiscriminate attacks by Israel amid a terrifying war for the second consecutive month while a large number of them are denied access to food or clean water. Many more were forced to flee south of the Gaza Strip which made their psychological situation even worse.
Children under the age of eighteen who make up 47% of the 2.2 million people living in the Gaza Strip have long had mental health issues. Four out of every five children used to report that they experienced depression sadness or fear prior to the current conflict a sharp decline from earlier studies.
The Euro-Med Monitor warned of the traumas experienced by Palestinian children in Gaza as tens of thousands of them were forced to flee to the south and center of the Gaza Strip without a destination. Some of them were killed while crossing the corridor designated by the Israeli army while those who made it arrived dehydrated scared and in a state of extreme panic.
Over 1.5 million Gazans have been internally displaced living with their children in severely overcrowded facilities that are neither intended nor suitable for shelter the Euro-Med Monitor added.
At least 170 to 200 people share one toilet and there is one shower unit for every 700 people. Unhygienic surroundings combined with a lack of personal space and privacy pose a threat to people’s health and safety.
