Eman Al-Kholi, a Palestinian amputee after an Israeli bombardment killed her parents, sits in a wheelchair in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, Dec. 28, 2023. (Credit: Arafat Barbakh/Reuters)
"More than 10 children a day, on average, have lost one or both legs in Gaza since the conflict broke out three months ago," said Save the Children, calling for a "definitive ceasefire."
The Israeli offensive against the Gaza Strip has claimed 22,835 lives, the majority of them civilians, according to the latest Gazan Health Ministry death toll published earlier on Sunday. The bombardments have razed entire neighborhoods, displaced 85% of the population and caused a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, according to the UN.
In a press release, Save the Children cited figures provided by UNICEF, the UN children's agency, according to which since Oct. 7., "more than 1,000 children have had one or both legs amputated," as well as the World Health Organization (WHO), which claimed that "many" of these amputations "were carried out without anesthesia," due to a lack of qualified doctors and equipment.
"I've seen doctors and nurses completely overwhelmed when children arrive with injuries caused by explosions," recounted Jason Lee, Save the Children's Country Director in Palestine, referring to the devastating impact on the medical profession of "seeing children suffer so much and not having the necessary equipment and medicines to treat them or relieve their pain."
"The suffering of children in this conflict is unimaginable, unnecessary and totally avoidable," added Lee, who called for those responsible for the "killing and maiming of children" to be held accountable.
"If the international community does not take steps to assume its responsibilities under international humanitarian law, history will judge us," he continued. "Only a definitive ceasefire will put an end to the killing and maiming of civilians, and allow the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian aid, including essential medicines for wounded children," he concluded.