The organization’s spokesperson explained that the needs of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are related to essential goods, such as access to healthcare, but, above all, to the lack of food.
It has been almost six months since the start of military operations by the Israeli army in Gaza, which international organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch describe as “indiscriminate attacks” on Palestinian territory.
Among the organizations that defend the urgency of a ceasefire for humanitarian reasons is UNICEF. The United Nations Children’s Fund speaks of a catastrophic situation, particularly difficult for children, in a territory where a large part of the population is young or very young.
CNN Portugal interviewed, via videoconference, UNICEF’s global spokesperson, James Elder, during a delegation visit to the territory. The purpose of UNICEF members’ trip to Gaza was to assess the situation of thousands of children.
“A ceasefire is imperative for help to arrive”
James Elder began by insisting on the importance of a ceasefire for humanitarian reasons.
“Without a ceasefire, we will see the horrific deaths of more children. A ceasefire has to happen and we need more access (crossing points) to get more and more help,” Elder said.
The UNICEF spokesperson explained that the needs of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are related to essential goods, such as access to healthcare, but, above all, to the lack of food.
“We are on the verge of a famine situation, it is a completely avoidable situation and it is a situation entirely caused by human activities,” says James Elder to CNN Portugal. “We need more help and more places to get that help to. There is famine on the ground and bombs falling from the sky.”
“Unprecedented despair”
“I went north today (interview conducted March 21) and saw unprecedented desperation,” said Elder.
UNICEF’s global spokesperson says that the level of destruction of basic infrastructure is worrying and that he saw how entire Palestinian cities had been leveled.
“We talk about water systems, food systems, electricity systems, shelters,” he continued.
UNICEF concerned about the generational trauma caused by yet another war
James Elder says we are in uncharted territory when it comes to the harm being done to a child-dominated population.
“It’s a high population, when we take into account the total population of the Gaza Strip. And that matters.”
UNICEF says that at this moment there should not be a child in Gaza who does not need psychological assistance, which is not happening, especially because the minimum conditions for this type of assistance do not exist.
“Gaza is not a place for children right now,” Elder tells CNN Portugal.
Tags: Gaza place children UNICEFs James Elder speaks CNN Portugal
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