Days of Palestine, Gaza Strip –UNRWA has said that 138 students at UN schools in Gaza were killed in the Israeli war on the enclave.
“With 241,000 children back in UNRWA schools to continue their education, UNRWA now has a more accurate picture of the impact of the 50-day war on students and their families,” UNRWA Spokesman Chris Gunness said on Thursday.
He continued: “We can confirm that 138 UNRWA students were killed since 8 July.”
“An additional 814 were injured and 560 have become orphans as a result of the recent hostilities,” he said. “Family life for so many has been devastated.”
HEART-BREAKING: 138 UNRWA students were killed in Gaza war. 814 more injured & 560 orphaned. Behind each stat are lives to be respected RT
— Chris Gunness (@ChrisGunness) October 2, 2014
Gunness, who broke down in tears while commenting on the Israeli attacks agaisnt children during the war, said “Behind each of these statistics is a heart-breaking, individual story, a dignity and a destiny that must be respected, even in death. Palestinian children are not statistics.”
“According to estimates based on preliminary information, the UN officials said, as many as 80,000 refugee homes were damaged or destroyed during the 50 days of hostilities, a much higher figure than the total number of 60,000 refugees and non-refugees – estimated earlier.”
He said: “We estimate that at least 20,000 of these are uninhabitable… The majority of Gaza’s 110,000 homeless people are children. They are being denied the space which children the world over take for granted, a place where their humanity is nurtured and developed.”
According to the overall UN figure, 505 Palestinian children are confirmed killed during the 50 day war. The cumulative death toll among Palestinians is at least 2,180, including 260 women.
It is reported that the cumulative Israeli fatality toll is 71, of whom 66 were soldiers and one civilian fatality was a child.
Gunness called for holding the Israeli killers of children accountability for their crimes and violations of international law.
Why did so many children die in Gaza? 138 UNRWA students killed. We mourn but we urge accountability for violations of international law RT
— Chris Gunness (@ChrisGunness) October 2, 2014
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