Gaza's children are dying, where are you?

The Media Unit of the Popular Committee against the Siege announced the death of a Palestinian citizen in the Gaza Strip because he was prevented from traveling to receive treatment abroad, thereby the number of victims due to the siege of the Gaza Strip increased to 83 people. It is worth mentioning that hundreds of patients in the Gaza Strip are suffering serious diseases as a result of not receiving treatment because of the lack of medicines and medical supplies in the sector which suffers a strict siege especially to children.

Moreover, the sudden mass death threatens more than one hundred patients, including children and newborns in the department of premature infants, fifteen patients lie in intensive care, a dozen lies in the heart care unit, and thirty newborn children at risk of death in case of power outage. Children incubators are the most affected by the lack of fuel which runs generators in case of power outage, not to mention the significant shortage of varieties of medicines and medical supplies for children.

Researchers and specialists confirmed that children in Gaza are suffering malnutrition due to the siege imposed on the Palestinian people and the Israeli violations which have had adverse effects on various aspects of their lives.

Dr. Rafat Hassouna (the representative of UNICEF) based on researches provided by UNICEF and the World Health Organization said: There are four key elements missing among school students in the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank, but by a less percentage, on the top is the lack of "iron," "vitamin A," "vitamin D," and "iodine;" these are the most prevalent elements.

He added that the amount of iron deficiency causes what is called anemia, and that 64% of children are infected with anemia. He also said that the proportion of vitamin A deficiency in children has reached 22% and the proportion of iodine deficiency has reached 15% of school students.

He explained that the lack of these materials reflects on the students in terms of health where students cannot learn properly and their speaking and hearing ability reduces, their immune system becomes weak, and they are more liable to diseases. That deficiency affects their attendance, participation, and frequent absenteeism from school. Anemia caused by iron deficiency leads to the lack of growth in children and weak performance in school. It also affects their stature and its impact on concentration and performance that reached 14% in the Gaza Strip, whereas in the West Bank the percentage is 9% of school students which leads to negative cognitive impairment and intelligence.

Accordingly, I appeal to the official authorities, humanitarian organizations, human rights, and medical Arab and global institutions, and the Arab cultural and media centers to play their role in bearing their humanitarian responsibility before this tragedy and this continuous human suffering. I also suggest that these involved agencies and institutions should coordinate and work hard on providing medicines and medical supplies to the Gaza Strip, as well as exerting more efforts to assist in traveling the urgent conditions, especially children for treatment and surgeries abroad.

For the results and damages that happen to the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip, you can find them on the site of the Popular Committee against the Siege, and provide your suggestions and remarks that may help those inhabitants to face the unjust siege that practiced by the occupation authorities.

The site of the Popular Committee against the Siege is found on the following link: http://www.freegaza.ps/index.php

With my heartfelt thanks for your perusal and your interaction.