Any acceptance of the Gaza children’s sacrifice would be tantamount to humanity giving up, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) spokesperson James Elder said on Friday after Israel resumed military operations in the Gaza Strip.
"It is reckless to think more attacks on the people of Gaza will lead to anything other than carnage. And yet, there were three or four large blasts nearby while I was there," Elder said. "To accept the sacrifice of the children in Gaza is humanity giving up. This is our last chance, before we delve into seeking to explain yet another utterly avoidable tragedy."
Elder said the humanitarian situation in Gaza is so perilous that anything other than sustained peace and at scale emergency aid will mean catastrophe for the children there.
Elder characterized the situation regarding health, nutrition, water and sanitation as being "dire" and emphasized that it threatens "a disaster of unparalleled magnitude for the children of Gaza."
In fact, the health, nutrition and sanitation situation has been deteriorating daily despite the humanitarian efforts over the past week, Elder said.
"Surely, any conversation around Gaza has to begin with empathy. It's deeply unsettling to hear how some have been able to overlook the tragic deaths of these children and now, today, are seemingly comfortable with the horrors - the attacks - starting again," Elder added.