JERUSALEM (Jan. 15, 2009) — As violence escalates dramatically in Gaza and rockets continue to fall on Israel, Save the Children is calling for an immediate cease-fire and humanitarian access to all of Gaza to ensure the protection of its civilian population, especially its children.

Today the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) compound was hit and is now burning. The agency reports that fire fighters cannot reach the site because of fighting in the streets. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) hospital, which was already overwhelmed by the number of casualties, also was shelled.

Save the Children reports that its 11 staff members and their families are in extreme danger. The ongoing escalation of violence means the agency cannot deliver aid to the people who need it most.

Annie Foster, Save the Children’s team leader for the Gaza emergency response, said: "This conflict is taking place in one of the most densely populated areas of the world, where every other person is a child. The escalation in fighting over the last several days — including attacks today on organizations like UNRWA and the PRCS hospital — prove that there is no safe place in Gaza. Tens of thousands of very vulnerable children and families are in mortal danger. What is most tragic is that there is nowhere safe for them to go.

"Children bear the brunt of any conflict and this one is certainly no different. The children of Gaza and their families are suffering injuries, fatalities, fear and upheaval," added Foster. "This must stop and we must be able to provide them immediate assistance."

According to UNICEF, approximately 320,000 children in Gaza are under 5 years of age, including about 40,000 infants under 6 months of age.

Even before the latest outbreak of violence, 50,000 Gazan children were malnourished, more than two-thirds of all children suffered from vitamin A deficiency and almost half of children under age 2 were anemic. Lack of access to food, clean water and medical supplies exacerbates threats to children's health and well-being.

Save the Children is calling for a peaceful solution to the current crisis that endangers the lives of nearly every child in Gaza, and the lives of Israeli children in areas subject to attacks.  The agency also is calling for free access for humanitarian assistance to allow aid agencies to provide much-needed relief to vulnerable children so that their families can access essential services.

DONATE NOW

Save the Children needs your support to help us meet the most critical needs of children and families in Gaza. Your donation will help us provide drinking water, improved sanitation, food distribution and other necessities.

Learn More

Save the Children (www.savethechildren.org) is the leading, independent organization creating lasting change for children in need in the United States and around the world. For more than 75 years, Save the Children has worked to improve the lives of children and their families through programs in health, education and economic opportunities, and during times of crisis and conflict. Save the Children USA is a member of the International Save the Children Alliance, a global network of 27 independent Save the Children organizations working to ensure the well-being and protection of children in more than 100 countries.