A “tragic…entirely avoidable surge” in child deaths is expected in Gaza where some 160 youngsters are already being killed every day, United Nations humanitarians have warned.

“About 160 children are killed every day; that’s one every 10 minutes,” World Health Organisation (WHO) spokesperson Christian Lindmeier was quoted as saying by the UN.

“If youngsters continue to have restricted access to water and sanitation in Gaza, we will see a tragic yet entirely avoidable surge in the number of children dying,” Unicef spokesperson James Elder told journalists in Geneva, who noted that more than 5,350 Palestinian children had reportedly been killed, according to the enclave’s health authorities.

The Unicef spokesperson added that at least 30 Israeli children are still being held hostage “somewhere in this hellscape”, before appealing for their immediate release, to spare them “their fear (and) the torment” their families have endured.

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