GENEVA, Nov 18 (KUNA) -- United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) warned on Tuesday of the dramatic deterioration in the situation of children and families in Gaza Strip as temperatures drop.
Speaking during a media briefing in Geneva UNICEF spokesperson Ricardo Pires reported that an estimated number of 17,000 families had been affected by the recent weather events He stressed that the heavy rains and flooding of recent days "have deepened the humanitarian crisis in a serious way" particularly for internally displaced families living in makeshift shelters and tents.
Pires warned that children are at heightened risk especially given their very low immunity resulting from malnutrition, harsh living conditions and the lack of food, warm clothing and dry bedding, stressing that those factors may increase the likelihood of hypothermia and respiratory infections.
He noted that more than half of the territory where Palestinians have been forced to go lie along the coast "the most flood-prone parts of the Strip".
He explained that UNICEF and partners had rapidly scaled up assistance reaching 8,800 families within 72 hours, warning that supplies are depleting and will only be sufficient to support an additional 7,500 families in the coming days at a time when severe weather is expected to continue.
Pires stressed the urgent need to open more humanitarian corridors and ensure unhindered access for aid emphasizing the necessity of additional resources to provide safe shelter clean water and healthcare for children and families.
He expressed hope that ongoing peace efforts would help improve the situation but underscored that the reality for children on the ground remains extremely dire. (end) imk.aai