UNRWA: Nearly 17,000 children separated from their families in Gaza following Israeli war

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has expressed its concern over the worsening situation of Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip, as Israel continues its war of genocide against the besieged territory.

In a post on the X social network on Sunday, UNRWA said children are facing shattered lives in Gaza, adding that at least 17,000 children in the besieged area have been separated from their families.

In addition to that, Phillipe Lazzarini, UNRWA's chief commissioner, said the rising temperature in Gaza has caused the death of at least two children.

The ongoing extreme heat has affected more than two million people living in dire conditions in the Gaza Strip, causing many deaths, including children.

Several media reports say temperatures have risen nearly 30 degrees Celsius in recent days, above normal for this time of year.

UNRWA has further noted that living conditions in Gaza are worsening as temperatures rise, stressing that children are paying the highest price as it reiterates its call for an immediate ceasefire.

The illegal regime of Israel has been deliberately targeting children in the war in Gaza and statistics show that most of the more than 34,000 Palestinians killed in the war in Gaza are women and children. 

About three soldiers of the brutal Israeli regime have been killed and 11 others have been seriously injured in the middle of the war in the Gaza Strip, while the Palestinian Islamic resistance forces continue to cause heavy losses to the brutal army of the regime.

Israeli media have reported that the three reservists who were killed were members of the 99th Division of the Israeli Army. They lost their lives near the Netzarim checkpoint, which separates northern and southern Gaza. Eleven other Israeli soldiers were seriously injured in the operation.

Reports say that some Israeli soldiers were evacuated by helicopter, while others continue to be treated at the scene.

The Izzedin al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian liberation group Hamas, has announced that it has targeted an Israeli military base in Netzarim with heavy rockets.

The Israeli army has so far confirmed the deaths of approximately 260 of its soldiers since launching the ground offensive in Gaza. The number of Israeli soldiers killed in the war is believed to be more than that.

At the same time, 30 reservists of the Israeli umbrella force have refused to respond to the call to participate in the expected ground attack against Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip for fear of their lives.

Israel launched a war against Gaza on October 7 after Palestinian militant groups carried out a surprise operation to avenge years of Israeli crimes.

Until now, the brutal Israeli regime has killed at least 34,454 Palestinians in Gaza, most of them women, children and young people.