UNICEF Chief: Reports And Images From Gaza After Israeli Attacks More Than Terrible

Executive Director of UNICEF Catherine Russell. (Wikimedia Commons/State Department/William Ng)

JAKARTA - Reports and images emerging from the Gaza Strip following Tuesday's attack are more than just terrible, said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.

In a statement, Russell said hundreds of people were reported killed, including more than 130 children, which is one of the largest child deaths in a year.

"Several attacks reportedly hit temporary shelters with children and families sleeping, another deadly reminder that there is no safe place in Gaza," Russell said, quoted from WAFA March 19.

He said the latest attack came as humanitarian aid was still blocked from entering Gaza, which exacerbates the risk for children, adding that it had been sixteen days since the last truck to send humanitarian aid crossed into Gaza.

Russell further said the electricity had been cut to the main desalination plant, which significantly reduced the amount of drinking water.

"Today, one million children of Gaza who have survived for more than 15 months in the war have returned to the world full of fear and death. Attacks and violence must be stopped now too," said Russell.

He called on countries that have influence to use their influence to ensure the situation does not worsen, stressing international humanitarian law must be respected by all parties, allowing the provision of immediate humanitarian aid and the protection of civilians.

Israeli airstrikes that hit Gaza on Tuesday killed more than 400 people, Palestinian health authorities said, in an attack that ended weeks of calm after talks to secure a permanent ceasefire stalled.

Airstrikes hit homes and tent camps from north to south of the Gaza Strip and Israeli tanks opened fire on the border lines to the east and south of the enclave.

The attack was much broader on the scale than the usual drone strike Israel said had recently carried out against militant suspects, and followed weeks-long failed attempts to approve an extension of the ceasefire agreed on January 19.

Gaza's medical sources said most of the victims of Israeli attacks were children and women, being taken to hospitals in the Gaza Strip since dawn on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, 660 others were injured in a series of airstrikes and fire belts carried out by Israeli aircraft. Some of the victims are still buried by the rubble.

Israel continued their aggression in the Gaza Strip at dawn, after more than two months of pause, launching a series of intensive airstrikes and belts in several areas of the Gaza Strip.