UNICEF’s statement on Gaza, Israel: “Outrage has become commonplace” – UNICEF statement

Statement

UNICEF on Gaza, Israel: “Outrage has become commonplace”

Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake

NEW YORK, 30 July 2014 – “Another school in Gaza has come under fire, killing more children in a conflict where such an outrage has become commonplace.

“For 23 days, too many children in Gaza have lived with fear and desperation. Water taps have run dry and raw sewage is running in the streets, while health workers try to save lives with little electricity and insufficient medicines.  At least 245 children have been killed since the conflict began.

“For 23 days, children in Israel have lived with the threat of indiscriminate attacks targeting their homes and neighborhoods.

“What hope is there for these children – and their societies – if adults no longer live up to their responsibility to protect them?  What are these children learning about how to behave when they are adults?

“For the sake of children, all sides to this conflict must come to their senses, permit humanitarian workers to aid those in need, and agree to end these attacks.  Now, before more innocent lives are lost – including the most innocent of all, the very young.”

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For more information, contact:

Catherine Weibel, UNICEF Jerusalem, Tel: + 972 54 77 87 604, cweibel@unicef.org

Juliette Touma, UNICEF Amman, Tel: +962-79-826-34-37, jtouma@unicef.org

Najwa Mekki, UNICEF New York, Tel: + 1917 209 1804, nmekki@unicef.org