LIVE | Israel-Hamas War Day 24: Gaza gets largest aid shipment; deaths top 8,000

The number of children killed in the blockaded Gaza Strip since the start of the Hamas-Israel earlier this month has exceeded the number of children killed in armed conflict every year globally since 2019, international charity Save the Children said Sunday.

In a statement, the charity cited numbers from the Gaza Health Ministry of at least 3,195 children killed in the war that was sparked following a surprised Hamas attack on Oct. 7. It also mentioned the deaths of 33 children in the occupied West Bank and 29 children killed in Israel.

“The numbers are harrowing and with violence not only continuing but expanding in Gaza right now, many more children remain at grave risk,” Save the Children Country Director in the occupied Palestinian territory Jason Lee said in a statement. “One child's death is one too many, but these are grave violations of epic proportions. A cease-fire is the only way to ensure their safety.” (AP)

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that “the world is witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe taking place before our eyes” in Gaza, with over two million people denied the essentials of life and subjected to relentless bombardment.

“I urge all those with responsibility to step back from the brink,” he told reporters at a meeting with Nepal's prime minister in Kathmandu on Sunday.

“We must join forces to end this nightmare for the people of Gaza, Israel and all those affected around the world.” The UN chief reiterated his appeal for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire, the unconditional release of all hostages and delivery of aid at scale to Gaza.

Guterres again condemned Hamas' “appalling attacks” on Israel on Oct 7, stressing that “there is no justification, ever, for the killing, injuring and abduction of civilians”.

The secretary-general reiterated that all parties to conflict are required under international humanitarian laws to protect civilians and provide them with food, water, medicine and other essentials, stressing that “those laws cannot be contorted for the sake of expedience”.

“The number of civilians who have been killed and injured is totally unacceptable,” Guterres said. (AP)

Israel’s military, which has said repeatedly that it is not at war with civilians in Gaza but rather with Hamas, dropped leaflets on the Gaza Strip Sunday asking civilians to “surrender”.

Written in Arabic, the leaflets told civilians to lay down all their weapons, put their hands up, wave white flags and follow instructions from the Israeli military.

“Hamas leaders are exploiting you,” the flyers read. “They and their families are in safe places, while you die in vain.” (AP)