Closure of Rafah crossing threatens treatment for more than 3,000 children: Official

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - The UN humanitarian office chief in occupied Palestine highlighted the alarming situation Tuesday in the Gaza Strip, noting that the closure of the Rafah border crossing is threatening treatment for more than 3,000 children.

"We saw 200 families per hour moving, but it's a little bit difficult to go beyond and give a precise number at the moment," Andrea De Domenico, told reporters virtually as he highlighted the rapid displacement of civilians in the region.

De Domenico highlighted the serious effect of the closure of the Rafah and Karem Abu Salim border crossings for humanitarian activities and access to fuel.

He said humanitarian operations cannot take place without fuel, emphasizing the critical importance of fuel.

"If nutritional supplies cannot be accessed due to the crossing closure, treatment of more than 3,000 children with acute malnutrition will be interrupted, as it will be the case for routine service," he stressed.

Noting that there are three hospitals that are functional in Rafah, de Domenico said they will "become inoperable in the coming hours if the operations continue, depriving 1.2 million people of health care."

"When the military operation approaches the areas where there are hospitals, the Israeli army requires the evacuation of hospitals," he said, stressing that hospitals are places that must be protected and respected, according to international humanitarian law.

He said that Israeli officials have not yet provided information on when the crossings will reopen but noted they are in constant communication with officials to ensure the continuation of humanitarian operations.

Highlighting the essential nature of fuel for humanitarian operations, de Domenico warned that key sectors will come to a halt within days if the fuel supply is not restored. He reported that food distribution to southern Gaza ceased Monday, and humanitarian partners anticipate running out of food stocks by the end of the week if the situation persists.

De Domenico emphasized that the current situation not only affects the north but also increases the risk of shortages in the south of Gaza.

On the situation of children in Gaza, de Domenico highlighted that children have been deprived of safe learning environments for seven months.

He emphasized the plight of vulnerable populations, particularly children and women, and said Israel's current attack will leave 625,000 children without education, leading to various risks such as "exploitation, child labor, and other forms of abuse."

Regarding the concept of "safe zones," de Domenico said, "The entire zone that has been identified by Israeli and called by Israeli a 'safe zone,' we do not call it safe zone because we keep on saying that there is no safe zone."

He recounted staying near a so-called “safe zone” during his last visit to Gaza, only for it to be bombed.

Criticizing Israel for not providing services to those pushed into supposed safe zones, de Domenico described the destruction he witnessed in Gaza as indescribably severe, with neighborhoods unrecognizable and buildings systematically targeted.

"The suffering that civilian populations are subjected to is simply beyond our ability to describe with words,” he said.