10 children lose leg every day in Gaza: UNRWA chief

The conflict in Gaza continues to exact a terrible human toll, with 10 children losing one or both of their legs every day, Philippe Lazzarini, chief of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), said on Tuesday, reported Xinhua.

"We have every day 10 children who are losing one leg or two legs on average. This gives you an idea of the scope of the type of childhood a child can have in Gaza," said Lazzarini during a press conference held in Geneva.

Lazzarini stated that approximately 4,000 children have been reported missing, and 17,000 are unaccompanied after nearly nine months of intense hostilities. Adding to the dire situation, reports indicate that 14,000 children have been killed since the beginning of the conflict, the official added.

In total, some 190 UNRWA premises have been hit, damaged or targeted since Oct. 7, 2023, which amount to more than half of the agency's infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, Lazzarini said.

The UNRWA chief noted that acute malnutrition impacts over 90 percent of the population in Gaza, with one in five people living in a catastrophic nutritional situation. Furthermore, he emphasized that more than one million people live in precarious situations where the risk of famine is imminent.

Lazzarini also stressed the importance of accountability for attacks on UN facilities and humanitarian personnel, emphasizing that these actions violate international humanitarian law.