Ceasefire, humanitarian corridor needed in Gaza for children's safety: UNICEF

For children's safety, a ceasefire and humanitarian corridor are needed in Palestine's Gaza amid the intensifying conflict between Israel and Hamas, UNICEF has said.

"The only way to keep children safe is a ceasefire, full functioning of hospitals and to allow children and families out and to allow medical supplies and humanitarians to do their jobs," UNICEF spokesperson James Elder said on Friday.

According to the latest numbers, 447 children have been killed in Gaza, Elder said, citing Palestinian Health Ministry figures.

“Hundreds and hundreds of children have now been killed and injured every hour in Gaza. The number of children killed is rising," he said at a UN press briefing. "The killing of children must stop," he added.

"Nowhere to go"

To a question by Anadolu about Israel's order for evacuation of Palestinians from northern Gaza within the next 24 hours, the spokesperson said: "That is simply not possible in an area as densely populated as this where there have been not hundreds but 1000s of airstrikes and where … there seems no respite in the attack," he said.

"There is nowhere safe for children to be in Gaza."

Underlining that the humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached "lethal lows," he said: "UNICEF is calling for the immediate ceasefire as 1.1 million people, nearly half of them children, are being warned to move out of the way about what is expected to be a ground assault on one of the most densely populated places on the planet."

The Israeli army on Friday ordered all residents of northern Gaza to evacuate their homes and head to the south.