Gaza conflict a 'war on children'

Save the Children have called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza conflict as Australian charities say they are struggling to gain access to communities in need.

Gaza conflict 'war on children'

A Palestinian child shouts at al-Shifa hospital. (AAP)

A children's charity in Gaza has called the conflict a 'war on children' and have called for an immediate ceasefire from both sides of the conflict.

Save the Children say more than 110 children have been killed and more than 1000 injured in the past two weeks.

"The situation is very difficult, especially from a humanitarian perspective," Save the Children's Osama Damo said from Gaza.

"What we are learning from this military operation is that, what the children are facing these days will actually leave them with long term impact, especially on a psychological level."

"Children have lost their right to live, children have been injured and many will be left with long term disabilities."

Even those who haven't been injured could face a lifetime of psychological issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety, Mr Damo said.

Mr Damo told SBS the charity was also having problems delivering vital medical supplies to people in parts of Gaza.

"Only yesterday... we were able to reach the warehouse and get medications and medical items for 3000 people in Gaza, including newborn (supplies)," he said.

Save the Children's spokesperson in Gaza, Osama Damo speaking with SBS reporter Brianna Roberts.



It comes as Australian charities say they are struggling to gain access to communities devastated by Israel's ground and air strikes.

The nation's peak body for aid organisations is urging the federal government to lobby both sides of the violent conflict for an immediate ceasefire to stem the mounting civilian death toll.

More than 600 Palestinians and 29 Israelis have died since Israel starting bombing the Gaza Strip a fortnight ago in response to Islamist group Hamas firing rockets into the country.

The casualties on both sides have escalated steeply since Israel launched a full ground assault on the Hamas-dominated territory five days ago.

The Australian Council for International Development urged the government to make every effort to ensure humanitarian groups could carry out their vital work on the ground in Gaza.

"They are experiencing increasing difficulty in accessing communities," council CEO Marc Purcell said in a statement.

Crucially, aid groups needed secure supply chains to provide food, medicine and humanitarian assistance to the growing numbers of those in need and to treat the seriously injured.

World leaders have expressed alarm over the rising death toll, particularly at the large number of children killed in the conflict.

An aid study of 100 children in North Gaza last week found a quarter had at least one member of their extended family killed.

Virtually all had experienced symptoms of stress and shock, the council said.

Jordan overnight submitted a draft resolution to the United Nations calling for an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, but it's unclear if it will be successful.


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3 min read

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By Brianna Roberts



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