UNICEF: Israeli occupation forces kill 67 children since October ceasefire

GENEVA, Nov 21 (KUNA) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned Friday that children continue to suffer despite the ceasefire, reporting that Israeli occupation forces have killed 67 children since last October 11, an average of two per day.
During a joint briefing held in Geneva by UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF spokesperson Ricardo Pires expressed shock at the latest developments on the ground.
He confirmed that UNICEF documented the killing of an infant in Khan Younis on Thursday from an airstrike, along with seven other children killed in Gaza.
Pires described life for children in Gaza as "harsh and horrific," warning of a sharp rise in respiratory illnesses and diarrhea from contaminated water.
He noted that doctors in Gaza are struggling to provide treatment to many children suffering from injuries or illnesses that are otherwise treatable.
Pires added that around 4,000 children still require immediate medical evacuation calling for the opening of a medical corridor to the West Bank and Jerusalem and urging countries to take in more children for treatment.
WHO representative in the occupied Palestinian territory Rick Peeperkorn affirmed that the health situation in Gaza remains "catastrophic" despite the ceasefire stressing that casualties continue to be recorded.
Peeperkorn said that, since the ceasefire began, Gaza health authorities report 266 killed, 634 injured, and 548 bodies recovered from beneath the rubble.
He explained that the healthcare system's capacity "remains far from sufficient" to meet the urgent needs with 18 from 36 of Gaza's hospitals partially functional while the rest are completely out of service.
Peeperkorn confirmed that 343 out of 622 essential medicines, approximately 55 percent are at zero stock, including 74 percent of chemotherapy and blood-disease drugs, 64 percent of primary healthcare medications, and 56 percent of maternal and child health medicines.
UNICEF and WHO said that the first round of the catch-up vaccination campaign reached over 30,700 children, while more than 6,827 children were screened for malnutrition, with 508 found to be acutely malnourished. (end) imk.ao