One child killed every hour in Gaza: UN agency

Gaza, Dec 25 The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said that one child gets killed every hour in the Gaza Strip.

"No place for children. Since the beginning of the war, 14,500 children have been reported killed in Gaza according to UNICEF. One child gets killed every hour. These are not numbers. These are lives cut short," UNRWA said in a press statement.

"Killing children cannot be justified. Those who survive are scarred physically and emotionally. Deprived of learning, boys and girls in Gaza sift through the rubble," it added.

"The clock is ticking for these children. They are losing their lives, their futures and mostly their hope," it said.

Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on October 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 taken hostage.

The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to 45,338, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Tuesday.

Earlier on Monday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that "there has been progress" in efforts to secure a ceasefire-for-hostages deal with Hamas, but cautioned that the timeline for reaching an agreement remains unclear.

Speaking before the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, Netanyahu said, "I do not know how long it will take," while vowing to "continue to act in every possible way until we bring everyone home."

Earlier on Monday, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar outlined parts of the deal during a closed meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, describing it as "a phased, gradual framework."

Israeli and Palestinian media reported that efforts led by Qatari, Egyptian, and US mediators have shown progress, though a breakthrough remains elusive.

Source: IANS