'Incomprehensible suffering': Thousands of children buried under rubble in Gaza: UNICEF

Agencies
June 27, 2024

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The United Nations children’s agency (UNICEF) has drawn attention to the number of child casualties in Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, saying thousands of kids remain buried under the rubble of destroyed buildings in the Palestinian territory.

UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban made the remarks on Wednesday during a UN Security Council meeting on children and armed conflict.

He said that Palestinian children continue to endure “incomprehensible suffering,” particularly those in the Gaza Strip amid a “staggering” scale of death and destruction there.

Chaiban noted that more than 23,000 cases of children killed or maimed in 2023 have yet to be verified due to insecurity, movement restrictions and significant risks to humanitarian personnel operating in Gaza. 

“The bodies of thousands of missing children remain buried under rubble, and none of this includes the thousands of violations reported so far in 2024,” he added.

The UNICEF official also highlighted the obstacles that are impeding aid deliveries to Gaza and thus increasing the number of acutely malnourished children, noting “After nearly nine months of horrible conflict, UNICEF and other humanitarian actors are still struggling to reach those in need."

He further called for “a complete ceasefire” in Gaza, where many children are losing their lives due to Israel’s starvation imposed on the besieged territory.

Israel unleashed its brutal Gaza onslaught on October 7 after the Palestinian Hamas resistance group carried out its historic operation against the occupying entity in retaliation for the regime’s intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

So far, the Tel Aviv regime has killed more than 37,718 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured over 86,377 others in Gaza.

Also speaking at the Security Council meeting was Palestine's UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour who recalled that Israel has killed more children in recent months than in all armed conflict globally over the past 4 years.

He estimated that nearly 16,000 Palestinian children were killed in Israel’s aggression against Gaza while another 21,000 are missing.

The Gaza Strip, once a vibrant place where children set world records in sports, has now been reduced to a graveyard, Mansour said, calling for “collective resolve and responsibility to pressure Israel to stop the madness.”

‘Most of patients were children’

Meanwhile, Adam Hamawy, a former US Army combat surgeon who returned from a medical mission to Gaza, said that children made up most of his patients.

“The level of civilian casualties that I experienced was beyond anything I’d seen before,” the 54-year-old medic told AFP.

“Most of our patients were children under the age of 14.”

Hamawy also said that humanitarian aid must enter Gaza in “sufficient volumes to meet the demands”.

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News Network
February 7,2025

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Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot returned to the State Government the Karnataka Micro Loan and Small Loan (Prevention of Coercive Actions) Ordinance, 2025, suggesting that the ordinance will benefit borrowers while no provision has been made to provide protection to lenders.

Sources in the government said that the Governor felt the need for a detailed discussion on the ordinance in the legislature. Since the budget session will commence in March 2025, he advised the government to discuss the issue during the session, instead of bringing in the ordinance in a hurry.

The Governor advised the State Government to deliberate on the issue in detail and bring an effective enactment in the interest of the affected people and to protect their rights.

Following alleged harassment by microfinance companies seeking repayment of loans, more than a dozen borrowers had committed suicide in Karnataka. To check the harassment from MFIs, the government has proposed the ordinance.

The Raj Bhavan is of the opinion that it is the duty of the State to protect the vulnerable persons of the society. But, it is also necessary to protect the lawful and genuine rights of the persons who have lent to needy persons within the existing laws with proper checks and balance mechanism.

Mr Gehlot noted: “If all the pending loans with interest as on date is discharged, the lawful and genuine lenders may face trouble. Further, they have no remedy to recover their pending amounts, which may lead to legal battle.”

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News Network
February 11,2025

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The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has warned that Israel's military offensive in the West Bank has escalated forced displacement of Palestinians at an alarming level, impacting over 76,000 people in the area.

In a statement released on Monday, the agency reported that Israel's so-called “Iron Wall” military raid has resulted in the near-complete evacuation of several key refugee camps.

UNRWA expressed deep concern over the forced displacement of the communities, describing the situation as "escalating at an alarming pace" due to increasingly coercive and dangerous living conditions.

“The use of air strikes, armored bulldozers, controlled detonations, and advanced weaponry by the Israeli forces has become commonplace,” UNRWA stated, adding that these methods appear to be a spillover from the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

The agency reiterated that "civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected at all times and that collective punishment is never acceptable."

Since January 21, the Israeli regime has carried out military operations in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Tammun in the northern West Bank, killing over 30 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The operation, which began in the Jenin refugee camp, has now reached its third week, marking the longest military campaign in the West Bank since the second Intifada.

UNRWA reported that the offensive has spread to the Tulkarm, Nur Shams, and Far’a refugee camps, which collectively house approximately 76,600 Palestinian refugees.

Israeli forces are reportedly intensifying their operations in the occupied West Bank, particularly in Jenin, where local sources say the occupation forces are targeting Palestinian residents and their property, leading to violent confrontations with Palestinian fighters.

Eyewitnesses have reported hearing explosions in the eastern neighborhoods of Jenin, while Israeli forces have prevented ambulances from accessing the area. Video footage has emerged showing Israeli bulldozers destroying paved roads in the region.

The grave situation has been compounded by the Israeli military's actions in surrounding towns, such as Jaba, where three individuals were detained during a Monday incursion.

The Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, stated that their fighters are actively confronting Israeli forces in the nearby Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps.

UNRWA's updates indicate that the ongoing offensive has already displaced around 40,000 individuals in the West Bank, contributing to a humanitarian crisis that has left thousands without shelter or basic necessities.

Under Israel’s parliament (Knesset) law enacted on January 30, UNRWA no longer has any contact with the Israeli authorities, hindering the ability to address critical issues related to civilian suffering and the urgent need for humanitarian aid.

Since the onset of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, Israel has significantly increased its violence in the West Bank, killing more than 900 Palestinians in the occupied territory.

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News Network
February 11,2025

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Dubai: The Consulate General of India in Dubai recently awarded Aim India Forum with an appreciation award in recognition of its significant contributions to the Indian community in the UAE.

In September 2024, the UAE government launched an amnesty initiative aimed at promoting respect for the law, tolerance, compassion, and social cohesion. This initiative allowed individuals who chose to leave the country during the amnesty period to do so without facing overstay fines, exit fees, or entry bans, while retaining the right to re-enter the UAE at any time.

Aim India Forum was invited to collaborate with the Indian Consulate during this amnesty period. Our Founder President, Shirali Shaikh Muzaffer, accepted the invitation and dedicated four months to this important initiative. Alongside other community organizations, including DUBAI KMCC, IPF UAE, FOI UAE, and others, Aim India Forum worked tirelessly to support fellow Indian nationals in need.

His Excellency Satish Kumar Sivan, Consul General of India, acknowledged and congratulated Founder President Shaikh Muzaffer and Board Member Mohammed Niyaz for their unwavering dedication and efforts throughout this project.

The Aim India Forum played a pivotal role in the safe repatriation of distressed and stranded Indian citizens in the UAE. An amnesty help desk was set up at the Indian Consulate to assist those seeking amnesty. This desk offered a range of services at no cost, including Emergency Certificates (one-way travel documents), labor cancellation, case clearance, and the issuance of exit permits/outpasses. Through these efforts, the Consulate General of India in Dubai successfully assisted 15,000 Indian nationals.

In partnership with various Indian diaspora organizations, CGI Dubai facilitated the issuance of 2,117 passports, 3,589 emergency certificates, and supported the acquisition of over 3,700 exit permits. Many individuals also benefitted from our guidance in securing fee and penalty waivers from UAE authorities.

As this operation concludes, we extend our deepest gratitude to the UAE Government for its unwavering support. We also wish to express our sincere thanks to the dedicated volunteers from diaspora organizations who played an instrumental role in the success of this initiative.

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