LONDON: More children have died during Israel’s war in Gaza than in all the world’s major conflicts combined over the last three years, Sky News reported on Monday.
The British news channel highlighted the dire situation facing families in Gaza, drawing attention to the struggles of mothers like Lina Hammad.
Hammad, who recently gave birth to twins at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, is facing the almighty challenge of keeping her babies and two other children healthy during the conflict.
She described living in a cold, damp room, and suffering from a difficult birth without adequate medical supplies due to Israel’s siege.
She told Sky News: “We are sitting on blankets on a cement floor. There are no vaccinations. We need nappies, milk and clothes.”
The children are suffering from chest infections and diarrhea, and their conditions are exacerbated by the cold and windy conditions in their inadequate shelter.
Hammad’s concerns reflect the fear of parents across Gaza as they battle to protect their children from the devastating consequences of war, hunger, and disease.
The Save the Children organization has declared Gaza the world’s most dangerous place for children. In addition, the telecommunications system in the region has collapsed, leaving many, like Hammad, unable to contact loved ones.
She told Sky News: “(The children) are still coughing. I swear they can’t sleep at night. I fear for them. Last night my son was suffocating.”
The situation in the West Bank is also deteriorating with Palestinians facing an increase in arrests, raids and road closures. This has led to heightened tension and worse living conditions under the Israeli military occupation.
The UN has reported that 2023 has been the deadliest on record for Palestinians in the West Bank. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 457 Palestinians and 35 Israelis have been killed in the occupied territory this year.
The impact of daily Israeli military raids in Husan village in the West Bank is deeply felt. Residents have reported a significant decline in their quality of life following the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas in Israel.
Mahmoud Zeoul, 18, was killed during a recent raid. The Israel Defense Forces claims it is investigating the incident but Zeoul’s mother accuses the IDF of responding disproportionately to resistance.
Tensions are high in the West Bank, with local residents, including those in Bethlehem, canceling Christmas celebrations in solidarity with those suffering in Gaza.
Resident Daniella Dukmak told Sky News that this year’s Christmas celebration was incredibly sad and being overshadowed by events in Gaza.
