More than ten Palestinian children on average have lost one or both of their legs every day in Gaza since the beginning of the Israel and Hamas war on October 7.
In a statement, on Sunday, January 7, NGO Save the Children referenced remarks from UNICEF spokesperson James Elder, who after returning from Gaza, said on December 19 that about 1,000 children had lost one or both of their legs since October 7.
It added that most of the surgeries performed on children were done without anaesthesia due to severe medical supply and basic goods shortages in Gaza.
Citing UN statistics, Save the Children director Jason Lee said the “suffering of children in this conflict is unimaginable and even more so because it is unnecessary and completely avoidable.”
“The killing and maiming of children is condemned as a grave violation against children, and perpetrators must be held to account,” he said.
Lee said that doctors and nurses are often overwhelmed when children with blast wounds are brought in.
“The impact of seeing children in that much pain and not having the equipment, medicines to treat them or alleviate pain is too much for even experienced professionals.”
“Even in a war zone, the sights and sounds of a young child mutilated by bombs cannot be reconciled let alone understood within the bounds of humanity,” he added.
Lee called for a “definitive ceasefire” to allow the flow of humanitarian aid and medicines.
Since October 7, the Israeli army has been waging a devastating war on Gaza, resulting in more than 23,000 martyrs, 58,926 wounded, infrastructure destruction, and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.
Israel has been relentlessly attacking the Gaza Strip since Hamas’ surprise attack on October 7, resulting in the deaths of nearly 1,200 Israelis.
Israeli attacks have severely damaged or destroyed 60 percent of Gaza’s infrastructure, causing nearly 2 million residents to be displaced due to severe food, water, and medicine shortages, Anadolu Agency reported.
