Cease-fire, humanitarian corridor needed in Gaza for children's safety: UNICEF

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) – For children's safety, a cease-fire and humanitarian corridor are needed in Gaza amid the intensifying conflict between Israel and Hamas, UNICEF said on Friday in response to Anadolu's question.

According to the latest numbers, 447 children have been killed in Gaza, UNICEF spokesperson James Elder said, citing Palestinian Health Ministry figures.

Addressing a UN press briefing in Geneva, Elder said hundreds of children are being killed and injured every hour in Gaza and urged that the killing of children "must stop."

On a question by Anadolu about Israel's order for evacuation of Palestinians from northern Gaza within the next 24 hours, the spokesperson said that it "is simply not possible" to carry out such a movement in such a densely populated area.

The Israeli army on Friday ordered all residents of northern Gaza to evacuate their homes and head to the south.

In an earlier statement, UNICEF said that it is "terrified" by the scenes in Gaza where a "large number of children are among the victims," and 1 million people "have no safe place to go."

"This is unacceptable and the violence must stop immediately," it urged.

In a dramatic escalation of Middle East tensions, Israeli forces launched a sustained and forceful military campaign against the Gaza Strip, a response to a military offensive by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas in Israeli territories.

The conflict began last Saturday when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel, a multi-pronged surprise attack including a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel via land, sea and air.

Hamas said the operation was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers' growing violence against Palestinians.

The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets within the Gaza Strip.

Israel's response has extended into cutting water and electricity supplies to Gaza, further worsening the living conditions in an area that has reeled under a crippling siege since 2007.