ISLAMABAD: Save the Children, an international non-governmental organisation, has expressed deep concern over the killings of children in Gaza in the ongoing war.

In a statement issued on Thursday, it said children were bearing the brunt of the ongoing conflict. One in five people being killed are children and the number has increased by over 40 per cent since the ground offensive into Gaza began on July 17.

“Almost one third of the Palestinians injured are children. Beyond the unacceptable death toll, more than 72,000 children in Gaza are in desperate need of counselling and support after losing close family members, suffering injuries and seeing their homes destroyed,” the statement said.

“What we are seeing is a war on children who are trapped within the boundaries of Gaza. They have nowhere to flee to and many families are seeking refuge in schools and hospitals which are also now vulnerable to fire,” it added.

One in five being killed is a child

David Hassell, a representative of Save the Children, said: “The last 48 hours have been the bloodiest, raising concerns about respect for the principles of civilian protection and proportionality under international humanitarian law. We call on both parties to this conflict to respect the protection afforded to hospitals and schools, and recognise that they should not be targeted when innocent people have no other choice of refuge.”

About seven children are being killed daily in Gaza and up to 70 injured, while medical stocks are in extremely short supply. More than 100,000 people have left their homes, half of them children.

“For many children, this is the third war in six years that they are going through,” Mr Hassell said, adding: “Besides the immense destruction of civilian infrastructure, we find that children are once again being traumatised, and will again need longer-term care and treatment to be able to recover. The international community should play its role for immediate ceasefire.”

AFP adds: UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos expressed deep concern on Thursday over the mounting civilian casualties in Gaza, warning that it was “almost impossible” for Palestinians to shelter from Israeli airstrikes.

“The reality in Gaza is, it doesn’t matter how hard Israel tries to minimise harm, this is an extremely overcrowded stretch of land,” Ms Amos told BBC radio.

“Forty-four per cent of that land has been declared a no-go zone by the Israeli army so there aren’t that many places for people to go, she said, adding: “People crowded into a sliver of land, almost impossible for them to move”.

More than 700 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in 17 days of conflict between Israel and Hamas.

“The trauma that they (Palestinians) are experiencing is terrible, and one child killed every hour in the past two days – each and every one of us should sit up and take notice of this,” Ms Amos said, adding: “No one is denying the right of Israel to defend itself but there are huge concerns about the impact this is having on ordinary people on the ground.”

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2014