Israel Rejects U.N. Request for Humanitarian Cease-Fire as Palestinian Death Toll Passes 600
After rumors of a humanitarian cease-fire that would begin Tuesday morning, Al-Jazeera reports that Israel has refused the United Nations' request, citing "security reasons."
Several schools, hospitals and mosques, including the Al Aqsa Martyrs mosque, have reportedly been struck by Israeli forces. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
After rumors of a humanitarian cease-fire that would begin Tuesday morning, Al-Jazeera reports that Israel has refused the United Nations’ request, citing “security reasons.” Meanwhile, Palestinian deaths continue to rise with nearly 4,000 Gazans injured and 604 dead. Israel has lost two civilians and 27 military personnel since the start of the 14-day conflict, and has recently confirmed reports that an Israeli soldier, Oron Shaul, is missing in Gaza and presumed dead.
Reuters via Al-Jazeera:
Palestinian civilians in densely-populated Gaza have no place to hide from Israel’s military offensive and children are paying the heaviest price, the United Nations said on Tuesday.
Jens Laerke, spokesman of the UN Office for Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA), told a news briefing in Geneva:”There is literally no safe place for civilians.”…More than 900 Palestinian children are also reported to have been injured, according to UNICEF. “According to an assessment by aid workers on ground at least 107,000 children need psycho-social support for the trauma they are experiencing such as death, injury or loss of their homes,” Laerke said.
More than 1.2 million people in the enclave have no water or only limited access to water as power networks have been damaged or lack fuel for generators, he said.
“In addition, we do have reports of sewage flooding which is a threat to public health,” he said.
—Posted by Natasha Hakimi Zapata
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