GENEVA, Thursday, March 21, 2024 (WAFA) – The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child warned today that without an immediate ceasefire, thousands of children in the Gaza Strip, particularly in northern Gaza, are facing an imminent famine. The Committee reiterated its plea for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further suffering.
According to the Committee’s statement, children in Gaza are on the brink of starvation, with access to food severely restricted amid the stifling Israeli blockade and the blocking of essential supplies. At least 27 children have already died from malnutrition and dehydration in northern Gaza, though the true toll is feared to be much higher.
Disturbingly, “one in three children under two years old in the Northern Gaza Strip suffer from acute malnutrition, a significant increase from earlier this year,” warned the Committee. Experts project that famine could strike anytime between now and May 2024, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis.
The Committee condemned deliberate actions by Israel, the occupying power, which has blocked or severely restricted humanitarian aid, exacerbating the suffering of Palestinian children. Referring to an interim ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the Committee emphasized the obligation to prevent acts of genocide, including the provision of humanitarian assistance.
Since the ICJ’s order in January, the situation has worsened, with over 108 Palestinians killed and 178 injured every day in Gaza. Children are among the casualties, and the impending invasion of Rafah poses a grave threat to the lives of 600,000 children.
The Committee called on all parties, including the General Assembly and the Security Council, to implement an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. It urged states to increase funding for UNRWA and to open multiple land border crossings to ensure the delivery of aid to all children in Gaza, especially in the northern regions.
