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UNICEF condemns “deadly” slow pace of evacuation of sick and injured children from Gaza

“Children are being medically evacuated from Gaza at a rate of less than one child per day. If this deadly slow pace continues, it will take more than seven years to evacuate the 2,500 children who need urgent medical attention,” UNICEF spokesperson, James Elder, condemned in a statement released by the organization this Friday. of.

“As a result, Gaza’s children are dying not only because of those bombs, bullets and projectiles, but also because ‘miracles happen’, even when bombs explode and houses collapse and there are casualties. increases, yet children are still dying.” If alive, they are prevented from leaving Gaza to receive urgent care that could have saved their lives,” Elder continues.

This year, according to UNICEF, between January 1 and May 7, an average of 296 children per month were evacuated for medical reasons. Since the Rafah border crossing was closed on May 7 due to an Israeli ground attack, the number has increased to 22 per month.

“That is, only 127 children – many of whom are suffering from traumatic brain injuries, amputations, burns, cancer and severe malnutrition – have been able to escape since Rafah’s closure,” the statement said. There is also regret over the statistics and not the trigger “let the powerful act.”

After sharing the stories of some of those children, a UNICEF spokesperson described what Gaza’s children are facing as “atrocities.” “Children are denied the medical care that is a basic human right, and those who barely escaped the merciless bombing are condemned to die from their injuries.”

“This is not a logistical problem: we have the capacity to take these children out of Gaza safely. This is not a problem of capacity; In fact, a few months ago we were expelling a large number of children. It’s just a problem that is being completely ignored,” he laments. And he noted that it is unknown how many pediatric patients have been sent back by Israel for medical evacuation. The Israeli military, which controls entry and exit points into Gaza, only provides lists of approved patients. “The situation of others is not shared. Nothing can be done when a patient is turned away. They get trapped in the clutches of an indifferent bureaucracy and the suffering of the children is greatly increased.”