UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- UN humanitarians on Friday expressed concern over attacks in Gaza that are killing civilians, particularly children, damaging humanitarian supplies and infrastructure, and restricting the entry of key supplies.
The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said four children aged 2 to 16 were reportedly killed over five days, including one who succumbed to wounds sustained in an attack last week. Five others, aged 8 to 17, were reportedly hit by live fire or shrapnel following airstrikes and suffered life-changing injuries.
The attacks also destroyed more than 770,000 U.S. dollars' worth of UNICEF nutrition supplies intended for more than 45,000 children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, and heavily damaged a humanitarian partner's warehouse, UNICEF said.
On Monday, a UNICEF-supported water well and desalination facility serving more than 4,000 people in Deir al-Balah were severely damaged by a nearby strike. Partners are supplying water by truck from other sources.
"Civilians and civilian objects -- including humanitarian facilities and infrastructure -- must always be protected," said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The UN and its partners are assessing and marking explosive hazards, educating people on safety measures and referring those affected for support, OCHA said. However, authorization to bring in equipment and remove explosive ordnance has not been granted.
On Thursday, explosive ordnance detonated about 30 meters from a UN convoy returning with fuel from the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing as it crossed the so-called Yellow Line in Rafah. No one was injured, but one vehicle suffered a minor mechanical problem, OCHA said.
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Friday that the organization supported the evacuation of 106 patients, including 19 children, and 132 companions from Gaza through the Rafah and Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossings last week.
Since October 2023, more than 13,000 patients and 16,000 companions have been evacuated, but thousands still await medical evacuation. Tedros said sustained access through multiple crossings is needed to ensure timely treatment.
OCHA also reported a deadly drone attack in Jenin in the West Bank. "If confirmed, this would be the first deadly airstrike in the West Bank in months," it said, adding that lethal force in law enforcement contexts must be a last resort. ■
