GENEVA The executive director of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) called Thursday on adults in the Middle East to protect children from the continuing Palestinian-Israeli violence, AFP reported.
"UNICEF is deeply concerned about the continuing loss of life, especially among children, and calls upon the adults of the region to do everything in their power to protect minors and to reach a negotiated end to violence," Executive Director Carol Bellamy said in a statement released in Geneva.
Since the violence began two weeks ago, at least 27 children have been killed and 1,200 injured, many critically, according to UNICEF.
"Both Palestinian and Israeli children have been promised peace for too long to let it slip away now," Bellamy said.
UNICEF promised to continue to help children during the clashes but "until adults of the region take responsible action, children and youth will continue to suffer injury, loss of life, and lasting trauma," Bellamy said.
Bellamy's announcement comes after the highly publicized death of Palestinian Mohamed al-Durra, 12, on October 30. He was killed, and his father gravely wounded by Israeli fire during a gunbattle between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians.
A French television crew captured the incident on film and photos were published in newspapers across the world the following day, evoking unanimous reactions of shock and horror.
On Tuesday, another 12-year-old was shot and killed in the Gaza Strip.