United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday called for the “immediate” evacuation of 2,500 children from the Gaza Strip for treatment, with guarantees that they will be able to return to their families and areas.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) had previously confirmed that Gaza children are dying of pain, as a result of not receiving the emergency treatment they need in light of the continuous restrictions by the Israeli occupation on evacuation approvals.
UNICEF’s James Elder said during a previous press briefing in Geneva that while about 300 children a month were previously evacuated from Gaza, the number had dropped to less than one per day until October 2024.
“Even when miracles happen, when a child survives bombs, houses collapse and mounting casualties, they prevent them from leaving Gaza to get urgent medical care that can save their lives.”
He stated that the Israeli authorities do not disclose when a request for medical evacuation is rejected, nor provide an explanation for any decision they take.