One particularly cruel aspect of warfare that it is the vulnerable – civilians, the elderly and the sick – who often bear the brunt of conflict, even after the fighting stops. The fact that children are forced to endure trials most adults struggle to cope with is heinous in the extreme. And yet, even in the early 21st century, this is what is taking place in Gaza, a conflict zone where a ceasefire is supposed to be relieving the pressures caused by two years of war, adding to the pressures of the continued occupation of Palestine.
In an exclusive interview with The National this week, Janti Soeripto, the head of Save the Children US, painted a grim picture of a freezing, squalid territory where minors play in sewage water and shelter in fragile tents.
"What you really see particularly in war zones, conflict-affected areas, is that children suffer the most, and they're often quite invisible, because their parents and the community is focused on managing their immediate needs,” Ms Soeripto said. "It is that moment of intense stress and violence that really puts children at additional risk.”
Given the acute suffering taking place, one would expect a major international aid effort to be in full swing.
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