China News Service, United Nations, April 3 (Reporter Wang Fan) The United Nations Security Council held a public meeting on children and armed conflict on the 3rd. Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, emphasized at the meeting that protecting Gaza's children is the responsibility of the international community.
On the same day, Gamba, the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, gave a briefing that blatant disregard for international humanitarian law continues to increase around the world, and the situation in which children are unable to receive humanitarian assistance is worsening. There is a high degree of arbitrary obstruction or outright denial of humanitarian assistance to children in places such as the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Haiti.
Chaibansaku, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund, reported that he visited Gaza in October last year, and when he visited the place again in January this year, he witnessed the rapid deterioration of the situation of children. Extensive damage to logistical infrastructure, a quasi-blockade of northern Gaza, repeated denials or delays of humanitarian convoys, fuel shortages, and power and telecommunications outages have had a catastrophic impact on children. Children do not have access to age-appropriate nutritious food or medical care.
Geng Shuang said in his speech that children are the most innocent victims in armed conflicts and the most vulnerable groups in need of help. Currently, children in Gaza are experiencing a catastrophe. According to a UNICEF report, more than 13,000 children have been killed in Gaza in the past six months, more than the total number of children in all regions of the world combined in the past four years. The war has devastated children in Gaza. Some of them are hiding in overcrowded hospitals, lacking medical care and medicine, suffering from malnutrition, becoming sick and disabled, and even dying young.
Geng Shuang said that protecting children in Gaza is the responsibility of the international community and is also the consensus of the Security Council. After the new round of conflict in Gaza broke out, the first resolution adopted by the Security Council focused on the protection of children in Gaza. Last week, the Security Council passed Resolution 2728 calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The top priority is to promote the comprehensive and effective implementation of the Security Council resolutions, immediately implement a ceasefire, stop all harm to civilians, and let Gaza children see the dawn of peace as soon as possible; it is to immediately lift the blockade of Gaza and ensure that humanitarian aid such as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East The agency carries out rescue work and delivers humanitarian supplies safely and timely to the people of Gaza, especially children; it is to safeguard the authority of international justice, provide a strong response to serious violations of international law and international humanitarian law, and seriously deal with the perpetrators of serious violations of children. Hold accountable. We must never allow human dignity to be shamed, and we must never allow international justice to be absent.
Geng Shuang said that in addition to Gaza, children in many conflict areas also suffer tragic fates, and many outstanding issues deserve people's attention. He called for increasing humanitarian assistance, promoting the lifting of unilateral sanctions, promoting the end of serious violations, and promoting the realization of all-round development. (over)