UNRWA: 10 Children in Gaza Lose a Leg or Both Legs Daily

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini has stated that "10 children lose a leg or both legs every day in Gaza."

During a press conference held at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday, Lazzarini emphasized, "On average, 10 children lose a leg or both legs every day."

He clarified that "these numbers do not include children who have lost upper limbs."

Lazzarini added, "10 children a day means around 2,000 children after more than 260 days of this brutal war."

He also noted, "We know how amputations are carried out in very horrific conditions, sometimes without any anesthesia, and this also applies to children."

Lazzarini referenced a report published by the NGO Save the Children, estimating that "up to 21,000 children are missing since the beginning of the aggression on Gaza, either buried under the rubble, captured, buried in unknown graves, or separated from their families."

Save the Children confirmed that despite the difficulty of gathering and verifying figures, "at least 17,000 children in Gaza are unaccompanied, and 4,000 children are missing after being buried under rubble."

Lazzarini warned again that "UNRWA funding will run out by the end of August," highlighting that "the agency needs $140 million until the end of the year."

Regarding the situation in the West Bank, Lazzarini expressed, "We are extremely concerned about the conditions in the West Bank, which is facing a silent war."

He explained that "the West Bank is facing a silent war, with the intensity of (Israeli) military operations in refugee camps becoming noticeable."

The Israeli military has continued its aggression on Gaza for 263 days, supported by the US and Europe, with airstrikes targeting hospitals, buildings, towers, and Palestinian civilian homes, destroying them with residents inside and blocking the entry of water, food, medicine, and fuel.

The ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza has resulted in the deaths of 37,658 people and injuries to 86,237 others, with around 1.7 million people displaced from the area, according to United Nations data.