The United Nations has labeled Gaza as “a graveyard” for children, with over 8,000 children killed and thousands displaced due to the Israeli war. The government media office reports that more than 8,663 Palestinian children have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza since October 7, with thousands more missing under the rubble due to relentless bombardment.

The Israeli bombardment, which has been ongoing for nearly three months, has resulted in the deaths of over 21,000 people, the majority of whom were civilians. Schools and neonatal care centers have not been spared, leading to the deaths of newborn babies. According to data from Save the Children, a child was being killed every 10 minutes in early November.

James Elder, a spokesperson for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), expressed his grave concerns about the high casualty figures, stating, “Gaza has become a graveyard for thousands of children. It’s a living hell for everyone else.”

The Defence for Children International-Palestine, an NGO, reported last month that Israeli forces killed twice as many Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip in October as the total number of Palestinian children killed in the occupied West Bank and Gaza combined since 1967.

UNICEF has warned that limited access to clean water and sanitation due to Israel’s relentless bombardment poses a significant risk to children in Gaza. The UN Children Agency’s Executive Director Catherine Russell stated that displaced children in southern Gaza do not have enough water to meet their basic survival needs.

Israel initiated the brutal war following a Hamas attack that resulted in approximately 1,139 deaths. Despite criticism for its military tactics and the widespread destruction and loss of lives, Israel has vowed to continue its military offensive until it achieves the destruction of Hamas and the release of all captives.

Read more at Al Jazeera.