News - Middle East: James Elder, spokesperson for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), has raised alarm over the dire situation faced by more than 600,000 children in Rafah, southern Gaza, who are grappling with hunger and fear amidst the threat of Israeli attacks.

In a video posted on X account, Elder shed light on the plight of children striving to survive in Rafah amid Israeli assaults, following the influx of 1.5 million people into the area as a result of the ongoing Israeli aggression.

Elder reminded the children and families fleeing Israeli attacks that they were told to head to Rafah as it would be safe there. However, despite this assurance, brutal attacks have been carried out.

"Rafah is a city for children. There are 600,000 boys and girls, yet they are under threat of military assault, trapped in Rafah, with no safe place to go," Elder stated.

He highlighted the daily struggle of parents trying to instill hope in their children despite the fear and hunger, emphasizing that the word "hope" is at risk of being erased from the vocabulary in Gaza.

Elder urged everyone who empathizes with the pain and fear of parents towards their children and those who believe in childhood to put an end to this suffering in Rafah.

According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, Israeli occupation forces kill an average of 4 children every hour in the Gaza Strip. Additionally, 43,349 children live without one or both of their parents due to the continuous Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip since October 7th last year.