Children in Gaza have endured unspeakable horrors

Today, the UN Security Council discussed the situation of children in Gaza. Since the start of the war in October 2023, they have suffered relentless bombardment, deprivation and mental harm, and are in urgent need of life-saving support. Slovenia once again welcomed the Gaza ceasefire agreement and urged all parties to fully adhere to their commitments. The ceasefire must translate into a lasting peace, allowing this and future generations of children to build a better life.

“Over the past 15 months, many children have lost their families, their homes and schools. Too many are missing, either lost, disappeared, detained or buried. Far too many are maimed or killed,” Deputy Permanent Representative Ondina Blokar Drobič emphasized. As Under-Secretary-General Tom Fletcher underlined during his briefing to the Council, some children died before their first breath. The Council also heard from a civil society briefer from Gaza, who spoke first hand about the plight of children during the war.

As enormous challenges remain, the Security Council must continue its work and push for a lasting peace and the two-state solution. To begin, children in Gaza must be freed from the deprivation of water, food, medical supplies, warm clothing, and shelter. Safe, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access must be rapidly guaranteed. They also must have the means and opportunities to reunite with their family members.

Additionally, children in Gaza desperately need access to essential healthcare, including newborns, as do pregnant women. “This is not optional – it’s an obligation of Israel, as the occupying power, under the Convention on the Rights of the Child to protect every child’s rights to life, survival and development, health, and physical and psychological recovery,” the Deputy PR added.

For years, Slovenia has been engaged in providing medical rehabilitation and psychosocial support to over 200 children from Gaza. Most recently, a group of 10 children were evacuated from Egypt last October.

In conclusion, children in Gaza deserve a bright future with a rebuilt education system and safe spaces for learning, development and play. They deserve hope. In this regard, Slovenia stressed the critical role of UNRWA in human development.

Recent News

Slovenia building trust Logo
I feel SLOVENIA