UNICEF discusses humanitarian situation with Jerusalem hierarch in Gaza

UNICEF delegation at the Monastery of Saint Porphyrius in the Gaza Strip. Photo: Orthodoxia News Agency

A delegation from the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) visited the Monastery of Saint Porphyrius in the Gaza Strip, which belongs to the Jerusalem Patriarchate, as part of humanitarian coordination with religious and community organizations, reports Orthodoxia News Agency.

The guests were received by Archbishop Alexios of Tiberias, after which a conversation took place regarding the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the possibilities for further cooperation and coordination of efforts on the ground. The visit is part of UNICEF's efforts to strengthen engagement with local religious and community institutions at a time when the organization continues to raise alarm over the dire conditions children continue to experience in the Gaza Strip.

According to UNICEF, more than 58,000 children have lost one or both parents, and approximately 1.1 million children are in need of protection services, mental health care, and psychosocial support. The organization notes that despite a reduction in the intensity of hostilities, children continue to face serious threats: malnutrition, lack of basic services, trauma, displacement, and the mental health consequences of war.

The situation in hospitals is also particularly worrying, where shortages in medical equipment and basic infrastructure make care difficult, while UNICEF underlines the need for continuous and unhindered humanitarian assistance to all children and families in need.

As the UOJ reported, Patriarch Theophilos opened a clinic in Gaza for those affected by the war.

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