Gaza war has killed more children than in 4 years of worldwide conflict: UNRWA

GENEVA - More children have been reported killed in the war raging in Gaza than in four years of conflict around the world, the head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees said on March 12.

“Staggering. The number of children reported killed in just over 4 months in #Gaza is higher than the number of children killed in 4 years of wars around the world combined,” Mr Philippe Lazzarini said on X, formerly Twitter.

His post referenced UN numbers showing that 12,193 children were killed in conflicts worldwide between 2019 and 2022.

It compared that with reports from the Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza indicating that more than 12,300 children died in the Palestinian territory between last October and the end of February.

“This war is a war on children. It is a war on their childhood and their future,” Mr Lazzarini said.

The brutal war began with

the

unprecedented

Oct 7 Hamas attack

that resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count based on Israeli official figures.

The militants also took around 250 hostages, dozens of whom were released during a week-long truce in November. Israel believes about 130 captives remain in Gaza, including 32 presumed dead.

Israel’s retaliatory bombardment and ground offensive

have killed 31,184 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the territory’s Health Ministry. AFP