The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child urged on Thursday the provision of "massive psychological and social support" for children traumatized by violence in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Israel. It stated that it would review Israel's treatment of children later this year. Health authorities in Gaza report that children and women account for the majority of nearly 28,000 people killed during the Israeli assault.
Committee Chair Anne Skilton remarked, "The rights of children living under the effective control of the State of Israel are being grossly violated at a level rarely seen in modern history." She added in a press conference, "We appeal for massive psychological and social support for children and families to mitigate the long-term traumatic effects of war, including Israeli children who were victims or witnesses to the attacks on October 7 and also those whose family members were taken hostage."
The Israeli diplomatic mission in Geneva stated it would issue a statement on the committee's comments shortly. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) mentioned last week that it is believed nearly all children in Gaza need psychological support. The Israeli military states it is conducting operations against individuals suspected of being militants in the West Bank. The West Bank has already witnessed the highest levels of unrest in decades in the months leading up to the October 7 attack on Israel, but confrontations have sharply increased following the Israeli ground invasion of Gaza.
