The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees stated on Tuesday that more children have been reported killed in the ongoing war in Gaza than in four years of conflicts worldwide.
Philippe Lazzarini, speaking on X, formerly Twitter, described the situation as “staggering,” noting that the number of children reported killed in just over four months in Gaza surpasses the number of children killed in four years of global conflicts combined.
Lazzarini’s remarks were based on United Nations figures, which indicate that 12,193 children were killed in conflicts worldwide between 2019 and 2022.
Reports from the health ministry in Gaza revealed that over 12,300 children died in the Palestinian territory between last October and the end of February.
According to Lazzarini, “This war is a war on children. It is a war on their childhood and their future.”
The conflict escalated with an unprecedented Hamas attack on October 7, resulting in approximately 1,160 deaths in Israel, primarily civilians, as per an AFP count based on Israeli official figures.
Hamas also took around 250 hostages, with dozens being released during a week-long truce in November. Israel estimates that about 130 captives remain in Gaza, including 32 presumed dead.
Israel’s retaliatory bombardment and ground offensive have claimed the lives of 31,184 Palestinians in Gaza, predominantly women and children, according to the territory’s health ministry.
