Call to Action for Palestinian Children in the West Bank & Gaza
Palestinian children face dire humanitarian situation of unprecedented magnitude
The humanitarian impact of the ongoing hostilities is of unprecedented severity and magnitude in Gaza, and with repercussions in West Bank. Food insecurity has reached never before seen levels. Severe child food poverty affects nine in ten children in the Gaza Strip.[1] . Since 7 October 2023, more than 37,000 Palestinian fatalities have been reported across Gaza, by the Ministry of Health in Gaza, and nearly 85,000 have been reported injured.[2] Among them, nearly 8,000 children have been killed, tens of thousands injured and thousands more are estimated to be trapped under the rubble. In Gaza, an estimated 17,000 children are unaccompanied or separated from their parents[3]. This situation has led to an estimated 1 million children suffering from psychological trauma, who need urgent psycho-social support and care.[4] In the West Bank, over 500 Palestinian fatalities are recorded, including at least 126 children.[5]
Call to Action for Palestinian Children in the West Bank and Gaza
Based on the Convention of the Rights of the Child, the UNSC resolutions 2712, 2720, 2728 and 2735, we call for urgent assistance to the children of Gaza and the West Bank.
This Call to Action for Palestinian Children in the West Bank and Gaza has 5 action points:
- We call on Parties for reaching an immediate ceasefire.
- We call for the respect of international law, including international human rights law and humanitarian law. We recall the obligations for the parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, such as shelters and schools, and health, electric, water, sanitation facilities, to prevent loss of civilian and children’s lives, outbreaks of diseases, and to provide safe spaces and care to the sick and wounded, to those sheltered in public building such as schools, and to ensure the uninterrupted and secure humanitarian access s for delivering of critical and life-saving aid (fuel, cooking gas, food items, medical supplies, dignity and menstrual hygiene kits).
- Any grave violations against all children, including killing and maiming of children should end. We call for the immediate, safe and unconditional release of all detained children and hostages in particular.
- We call for safe and unrestricted humanitarian access to and within the Gaza Strip, including in the north, and in the West Bank to reach affected populations wherever they are. All access crossings must be opened. Safe and unhindered movement for humanitarian workers and supplies across the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank must be guaranteed.
- We pledge to support a scaled-up UN-coordinated and principled humanitarian response to the Palestinian Children in Gaza and the West Bank with a focus in particular on the following areas and with due regard for children with special needs:
- life-saving assistance and services: essential food and non-food items, including specific nutrition products and actions focused on children’s water, sanitation and hygiene needs
- health care: the delivery of medicines and emergency medical supplies to hospitals and health facilities, including supplies for new-borns, kits for midwives, kits to treat acute watery diarrhea and provisions of other life-saving medicines.
- mental health and psychological support
- education: revive learning opportunities, create a safe space, training on landmine or other explosive weapons prevention and/or survivor assistance interventions.
- humanitarian cash support for the most vulnerable households to meet their basic needs and the specific needs of their children.
- specific support for unaccompanied Palestinian children who have been separated or lost their parents and are more vulnerable to any kind of abuse and exploitation.
All Member States and entities who support this Call to Action pledge to continue to advocate for these goals.
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Call to Action at the UN ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment
Launching the Call to Action for Palestinian Children
On 28 June 2024, the Missions of Jordan and Belgium, and the European Union Delegation to the United Nations organised a side-event to the Humanitarian Affairs Segment of ECOSOC, entitled “Call to Action for Palestinian Children in the West Bank and Gaza”.
The discussions highlighted the need for efforts to implement the Call to Action.
Bringing attention to the plight of children in the West Bank and Gaza
The objective of the event was to bring attention to the plight of children in the West Bank and Gaza, and advocate for increased support to address the humanitarian crisis they are suffering. During the event, the five action points of the Call were outlined and UN Member States, humanitarian donors, UN agencies, the Red Cross and Crescent Movement, and humanitarian NGOs, were given the opportunity to indicate their support.
Advocating for efforts to implement the Call to Action
The event consisted of keynote video addresses, two panels of senior experts who updated participants on the current needs, gaps and challenges, and finally an open discussion on what is needed from the international community to respond to the urgent needs of children. The panels focused on issues including IHL, humanitarian access, and children’s rights as well as their unique vulnerabilities and needs.
Voices of Palestinian Children
Courtesy of UNICEF
footnotes
[1]Child-food-poverty-2024.pdf (unicef.org)
[2]https://www.ochaopt.org/content/reported-impact-snapshot-gaza-strip-12-june-2024
[3]https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/stories-loss-and-grief-least-17000-children-are-estimated-be-unaccompanied
[4]https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/hostilities-gaza-strip-and-israel-flash-update-148-enarhe https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/unicef-state-palestine-humanitarian-situation-report-no-21-escalation-7-20-march-2024
https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2024/02/child-rights-committee-statement-children-gaza
[5] https://www.unicef.org/media/157296/file/State-of-Palestine-Humanitarian-SitRep-15-May-2024.pdf
EU's first medical evacuation operation of Palestinians transfers children from Egypt to Spain
On 24 July, the first EU-coordinated medical evacuation operation of 16 Palestinian children and their family members took place from Egypt to Spain. The operation was financially and operationally supported by the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), in close coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Palestine Childrens Relief Fund (PCRF) and authorities of all countries involved.
In response to the activation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism by the WHO, the EU has been fully supporting the coordination of the activities to medically evacuate Palestinian patients to Europe. The request concerns targeted medical evacuations for a number of children in urgent need of medical care.
So far, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Romania, Slovakia and Spain offered assistance for medical evacuations, including treatment for patients as well as transportation.
The Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC), in coordination with EU health and consular services, as well as respective EU Delegations, is in contact with the Member States, WHO and all relevant partners to facilitate these operations which are expected to continue in the coming weeks.
Since the beginning of the crisis, the EU has been a strong supporter of the health response in Gaza through its humanitarian partners. In 2024, 23% of the EU's humanitarian budget has been allocated to issues related to health in Gaza, amounting to €32.5 million. Since early January, the EU has also been supporting the WHO's Gaza Emergency Medical Team Coordination Cell in Cairo with 22 experts deployed from the EU and the EU Civil Protection Mechanism's participating countries.
Quote(s)
At a time when the remaining hospitals in Gaza are overwhelmed and access to healthcare is severely affected by the ongoing war, medical evacuations are more crucial than ever. I thank Spain and the other EU Member States who offered assistance for their commitment to Palestinians in need of urgent medical care. Israel and all the actors involved in these operations must continue honouring their commitment and facilitate the needed access for evacuations to continue.
Janez Lenarčič, Commissioner for Crisis Management
As the ongoing health and humanitarian tragedy in Gaza worsens, vulnerable patients are being left without the lifesaving treatment and care they need. We must redouble our efforts to ensure safe medical evacuations for those in urgent need, in particular children.
Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety